


To Belong

by Marauder23



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempt at Extended Universe Canon, F/M, M/M, Post-Canon Fix-It, Psychological Trauma, Slow Burn, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Spoilers, the bendemption we deserved
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:15:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 36,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22518358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marauder23/pseuds/Marauder23
Summary: *TROS SPOILERS*Deeper she sunk into her trance, looking for the pulse of the decimated connection. However, as she approached the bond under its layers of healing energy, she gasped, coming out of the meditation like she was deep underwater and desperately coming up for air. She clutched her chest to feel her heart racing between her ribs painfully.The bond was alive again.***Rey seeks belonging in the galaxy after the demise of the First Order and the devastation at the loss of Ben Solo. Rose and Finn work to create a new Galactic Alliance but are discovering that politics is harder than Leia made it look. Poe, Chewie, and Lando seek out contacts across the galaxy to help form an inter-galactic committee. And Ben comes back after landing in an in-between world following his death.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 45
Kudos: 96
Collections: Pen15 Challenge 10: New Year New Me, The Rise of Skywalker: Fix-It Fic Edition





	1. Welcome Back

CHAPTER ONE: Welcome Back

Ben was startled awake from the brightness that he could see behind the lids of his eyes. He blinked rapidly; his vision adjusting. He pushed himself up on his forearms and took stock of his surroundings. Although still awash in bright light (blinding bright light, he couldn’t help grumbling to himself) the room in which he found himself began to emerge through shapes and outlines and his eyes widened in recognition. If he was not mistaken, he appeared to be in the living quarters in Hanna City where he had grown up. Ben was transported back to a simpler time, recalling the rolling hills and calm seas of Chandrila. He looked over the sparse kitchen where his mother would be working with a culinary droid on dinner and the sitting area with the old worn-in armchair his father had rocked him asleep in when he had been restless even as a child. 

“Welcome back, Ben.” 

He whipped around quickly. He hadn’t realized that anyone else was with him. General Organa, the Princess of Alderaan, Senator of the New Republic, his mother. She stood stoically across the room hands crossed in front of her, chin held high and back ramrod straight, ever the diplomat. 

Ben got to his feet as she approached him. He wanted to say many things to her. Things that had been left unsaid for too long. Things that had caused too much pain and hurt to voice in the past. Reparations, condolences, grievances, wrapped up in a weight of deep shame he couldn’t seem to shake even in death. 

But for some reason, all that came out was, “Why are we on Chandrila?” 

His mother smiled at this and he felt a distinct tug at his heart at seeing her smile again. She approached him directly, grabbing both of his massive hands in her own small ones. 

“I was going to ask you,” she replied with a bubble of laughter tingeing her tone. “An interesting choice for you, although not unexpected.”

He felt himself begin to roll his eyes in annoyance. Why did all mentors have to be so damn cryptic? However, he caught himself. He promised himself after he threw his lightsaber into the roiling waters of Endor that he would put his childishness and pettiness behind him. He didn’t get much of a chance to do that in the short amount of time he attempted to redeem himself. Well, to hell with it. He would do it now. 

Although he couldn’t get out the wealth of apologies he felt he owed this woman, he simply pulled her close and clung to her like he had when he was a child and she’d leave to go to this or that important meeting. Even though he now towered over her, he buried his face in the crook of her neck and held on tightly. 

His voice thick with emotion he managed to choke out, “I’m sorry.” She held tight, gently shushing him, and after embracing him for a long while she pulled him back from her, wiping away the tears from his face. 

She straightened his posture as she had when he was a child and looked him squarely in the face, forcing him to make direct eye contact. Her eyes blazed with the strength that earned her so many titles as she said baldly, “We both have many apologies that could and should be made to one another, but dear, I’m afraid we don’t have the time for that now.” 

***

Although Rey’s eyes glossed over in disinterest, she nodded all the same at whatever it was Finn was saying to her. 

“Rey? Did you even hear what I said?” Finn scolded, giving her the look that she knew all too well at that point. The I’m-concerned-but-pull-your head-out-of-your-ass look. 

She shook herself to clear her head, attempting to recall what it was he had just been saying to her, “Something about who needs to be at the table in order to establish the Galactic Alliance?” 

Finn’s expression withered into a disapproving scowl. 

Rey couldn’t help but smirk, “I got it right, didn’t I?” she asked cheekily. And for a brief moment in that banter-y reparte with her dearest friend, she felt almost like her old self. The moment, like any moment, was fleeting and the brief upturning of her lips slid from her face as if it hadn’t happened at all.

Finn grabbed her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. He’d gotten used to these half-hearted exchanges with Rey. He couldn’t fathom why his friend came back from Exegol so inexplicably changed. He attempted to make eye contact with her, but she let her gaze fall to the floor and shrugged away from his small display of friendly affection. 

“Rey, you can’t keep doing this,” Finn said with a pleading note in his voice that made her turn toward him. 

“Doing what?” she asked, feeling both petulant and perplexed. How could she stop doing something she couldn’t explain? A feeling she couldn’t describe away or confide in her dearest friend. How could she stop feeling the way that she feels? To her, it felt as if he was asking her to stop breathing. 

Before Finn could respond to her however, Commander Connix skidded into the room looking out of breath and exceptionally harried. 

“General,” she huffed out in between gasps for air, “You’re needed in the advisory committee meeting at once.” She was finally beginning to catch her breath as she continued, “We’ve made contact with the Hapes Consortium and a delegate has been sent for from the Chiss Ascendency.”

Finn’s eyes widened at these developments. It had only been three months since the Battle of Exegol but they had been working tirelessly to find delegates to serve on an advisory committee to form the Galactic Alliance. This would be a new form of government, the likes of which the galaxy had never before seen, not with the New Republic or the Galactic Senate. Finn had been one of the Resistance leaders that had taken over a leadership position along with Rose in order to see their dream of an actual unified government be realized. 

Finn turned to Rey, torn between worrying over her clear distress and going with Commander Connix. Rey attempted to smile and brush away his worry, but the smile did not meet her eyes. “It’s fine. Go,” she said placatingly. And when he did not move but continued to stare at her, she continued with mingled sarcasm and pride, “The people need you, General.”

Finn still felt torn but his duty to the galaxy was a strong pull, and he nodded to her briefly before hastily departing the room with Connix in tow. Rey was about to leave the room herself, but Finn emerged again, giving her a stern look and pointing directly at her, “Don’t think I’m through with you yet, Skywalker.” 

With that last note of warning, he rushed from the room once more and Rey couldn’t help a small smile as she shook her head. How did that sweet little Ewok become one of the leaders of the galaxy? She would never know.

***

As Leia spoke, Ben stood up straighter, staring intently into his mother’s face as she continued on,“This place is in between worlds, a void in the Force. It appears as though you have chosen me to be your spiritual guide through this process,” she paused and smiled at him again. “Thank you for that, son.” She turned stoic again and carried on explaining, “You are in this in-between dimension as it wasn’t yet your time, however, as you sacrificed yourself to heal Rey, your life was extinguished on Exegol.” She swallowed hard as she averted her gaze. “Have you heard of Dark Transfer?” 

Ben’s gaze flickered from her as he attempted to recall the term. 

“I believe Supreme Leader Snoke once spoke to me of a Sith Emperor... Vitiate? Who learned the ability of Transfer Essence,” he trailed off attempting to recall more as his hand raked through his hair, racking his mind. “But that was through annihilating an entire planet and claiming their life forces so that he might live forever.” 

Leia’s eyes widened in acknowledgement but she shook her head. “Force Transfer and Dark Transfer are different concepts entirely. Vitiate wanted to live forever and attempted to do so by means of possession,” she shuddered at Vitiate’s atrocities but carried on with her explanation, “Dark Transfer is a process that has never been done before, an extremely rare ability. It is the process of resurrection through the force. It was believed that one had to access the Dark Side in order to bring a person back from the brink of death,” she paused here, looking unsure of how to continue as her gaze dropped to the floor again. 

Ben broke away from her and paced the room, his eyes bulging wide as he struggled to find the words. “So you’re saying I inadvertently performed a Dark Transfer with Rey?” Leia resolutely brought her gaze up from the floor and looked him squarely in the face. With a quiet grin blooming across her features she shook her head in disbelief before fixing her son with a steely gaze.

“Not quite. It seems through your force bond with Rey, your act of healing her through the Light Side of the force, you created a unique situation. You died in order to spare a life, giving her your life force,” she beamed at him and although he never expected to see the expression on her face directed at him, here she was glowing with pride at her son’s actions. “By doing this, you caused an unknown phenomenon to occur. Not a Transfer Essence, not a Dark Transfer, but something altogether new that neither Jedi or Sith have known. You tied your death to giving her life, and as your actions were through the Light Side of the Force you are here with me, instead of on Exegol or your spirit dissipating into the Force.” 

Ben stood stock still and stunned. He turned away again, quickening his previous pacing as he clenched and unclenched his fists. He hadn’t intended for anything of the sort to happen. He just wanted Rey to live. No matter the cost. She had to live and if that meant his death, so be it. He would readily give his life for hers again.

The thought of Rey was like a splinter in his mind. The ghost of her hand on his face, the feel of her lips on his, how he knew he could die happy after that one intimate moment with her, her smile filling every part of his soul with the light she seemed to exude so easily. He almost smiled at the memory, but the splinter came back and he couldn’t help but ask himself what happened to her after he left. 

He turned to face his mother again, wringing his hands with ferocity. “Rey…” It was all he could seem to put into words and his mother nodded softly, understanding. 

“Ben,” she said gently, again reaching for his hands, “You get to decide where to go from here.” 

Ben stared down at her hands. He thought of all the pain and death he had caused. He thought of how he could face a galaxy when they knew him to be a monster. How could he ever redeem himself in the galaxy’s eyes and lead any sort of normal life? It would be so much easier to drift into the Force. To join the souls of his mother and father, of Luke, of his grandfather Anakin. 

Although he entertained these thoughts briefly, he knew his choice as soon as Leia had posed it. Knew that no matter the inevitable pain and suffering he would have to endure by showing his face again, it would be worth it to see her smile the way she had smiled at him on Exegol. 

He sighed, and the words didn’t need to be spoken. He reached for his mother once more, drawing her close and hugging her tightly to his chest. Then he stepped apart from her again, gave a final jerky nod of his head, and the world went black. 

***

Rey picked up her pack and staff and walked from the room, heading for her quarters to once again seclude herself. Rose was at the same meeting as Finn, Poe, Lando and Chewie were off-world attempting to sweet-talk other delegates into joining the committee, and Janna was working with rehabilitating former Stormtroopers and First Order officers who wanted to work with the Alliance. She was so proud of all that her friends were doing in the aftermath of the battle for the galaxy, but she couldn’t help but feel disconnected, distant, and like she had no role in this part of history. 

You should have died, whispered the treacherous part of herself. She was dead. Maybe that’s how it was supposed to be. She didn’t belong in this place. In this galaxy. 

Ben did. 

She gripped her staff so hard her knuckles went white. She saw his smile as she said his name and held him close every night in her dreams. On some nights she woke, thinking he was still there beside her ready to wrap her up in his arms to hold her against his broad chest. Other nights she was haunted by the blankness in his eyes as he fell from her grip, unmoving. Those nights she woke up with tears in her eyes and covered in a cold sweat. 

She reached her modest quarters and sealed them immediately behind her, laying her staff down and taking a seat on her thin bunk. The white walls and lack of decor echoed her own feelings of disconnection. She never really had much to call her own or make a space that felt like home. Why should this bunk on Coruscant be any different? As she stared at the blank walls she allowed her eyes to drift shut and descended into a meditative state. She felt for the bond she had shared with Ben.

When she had first left Exegol after Ben’s death the tear in her own soul hadn’t been apparent, as she was running on adrenaline and stamina gained from the life force Ben had given her. However, in the weeks that followed the ache of that gaping hole that had been their bond was unbearable. It was like an open sore rubbed raw and infected, pulsing with its own pain like a flickering heartbeat. She couldn’t escape it. Over time she had painstakingly walled herself off from that part of her. The part of her that was him. She wrapped layers and layers of healing force energy across it like gauze and bandages. And although it was not gone, the pulsating throb from the connection had dwindled to a dull ache. Contained and concealed.

Deeper she sunk into her trance, looking for the pulse of the decimated connection. However, as she approached the bond under its layers of healing energy, she gasped, coming out of the meditation like she was deep underwater and desperately coming up for air. She clutched her chest to feel her heart racing between her ribs painfully. 

The bond was alive again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Notes: 
> 
> As was the case for many Reylo fans, I was thrilled that Reylo is now canon but I’m also absolutely destroyed that TROS took Ben from us! And thus, I decided to write a fix-it fic to attempt to fix the horrors of Bendemption coming to a premature end. 
> 
> My work is greatly inspired by diasterisms aka Thea who is the best Reylo writer out there. If you haven’t read her, please do. She’s a boss. Also, the beginning of this fic is inspired by Harry’s death/Hogwarts express scene where he talks to Dumbledore in The Deathly Hallows. Huge HP fan as well so you might get some HP fandom references in here as well. 
> 
> This is my first Reylo fic as I have predominately written Harry Potter fics in the past so please be kind. My knowledge of the Star Wars EU is in its infancy but I am working hard to rectify that! Let me know if you have recommendations on what to read. Also huge shout out and thanks to my Beta Reader, Alyssa. You are a true gem!
> 
> References:
> 
> [Dark Transfer via Cade Skywalker’s Page on Wookiepedia](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Cade_Skywalker)
> 
> [Chandrila](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Chandrila)
> 
> [Ben's past](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Ben_Solo)
> 
> [Resurrection Abilities in the Star Wars EU](https://www.quora.com/Did-the-Jedi-or-the-Sith-Orders-develop-any-resurrection-abilities-in-the-Force)
> 
> [Galactic Federation of Free Alliances](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Galactic_Federation_of_Free_Alliances)
> 
> Please read, leave kudos, comment, bookmark, all of the above! Love to hear from y’all.


	2. Be With Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaack with chapter 2! And let me give y'all some info on this fic. This will be a multi-chapter slow burn. I'm placing my chapter count at 20 for now. I just finished writing chapter 6 so I've got some buffer. I plan on updating 1x/week-ish. I could be convinced to write faster and update more frequently if y'all supply me with comments, kudos and bookmarks to feed the beast. Since this is a WIP, I'm down for feedback, predictions, and if you throw out a truly amazing suggestion I just might try to work it in. 
> 
> This story is roughly mapped out. I know where all the character arches are going, but how we get there will be a bit of a ride. Also, please note I added a tag to this story that was missing. SLOW BURN. And indeed it shall be that. There will be tension-y goodness until the explicit rating is fulfilled, I promise. 
> 
> Thanks so much for the incredibly positive feedback so far! And because of that, I'm updating a bit earlier than scheduled. I will not have time to update again though until next week, however, since I have family coming into town. So enjoy and keep fueling this writer's fire ;)

CHAPTER TWO: Be With Me

Rey woke early after a restless and fitful night of sleep in her bunk. Up and ready before dawn, Rey headed to the hanger to pick apart Luke’s old X-Wing to ensure it was in flight order. Poe, Lando, and Chewie took the Falcon to some of the Mid-Rim Worlds where Poe had connections during his time as a Spice Runner and Lando using his natural charm to rally troops decided to assist him. Besides, she wanted to take the X-Wing so she could travel alone. She needed to find answers and wanted to do so without the pestering questions of her friends. 

Gentle dawn light fell across the old X-Wing which sat undisturbed in the hanger, looking a bit worse for wear after the Battle of Exegol. Rey huffed out a breath as she grabbed the nearest workstation with parts and slid beneath the X-Wing to take a look. Luckily, it wasn’t as bad as she feared, and she was able to quickly work through the cables and connections that needed replacing, adjusted the thrusters, and added some T-70 upgrades. 

She was just pulling herself from the undercarriage of the X-Wing when she heard a distant beeping emanating from the shadows. Her hand went automatically to the lightsaber at her hip, drawing and igniting it in one fluid motion as she turned to face… R2? The old droid shot off a string of sassy beeps in her direction at having almost been assaulted, and she eased the saber back down to fix it again to her belt. The golden saber had remained at the base of her bunk, thrust into the back of the storage drawers after she buried Luke and Leia’s sabers on Tatooine. After the despondency of that trip, she had begun to close herself off and had tucked the saber away, unable to bring it forth without memories of Luke, Leia… and of course, Ben. 

Now, she pushed through that brief yet acute wave of grief to turn to R2D2. 

“R2, what are you doing here?” Rey queried, looking more than a little harassed and defensive. 

R2 beeped back his response claiming that where the X-Wing goes, so shall he. 

Rey couldn’t help a slight grin at that and replied, “Oh, is that so?” to which R2 beeped an emphatic affirmative that one could not hope to argue with. Rey gave him a further speculative and suspicious look before rolling her eyes and giving a decisive nod. “Alright then, let’s get you settled in. We’ve got a bit of a journey ahead of us.” 

***

Ben awoke yet again and was immediately coughing from the musty and humid air that seemed to be steeped with heat and moisture. He found himself sprawled on his back in what appeared to be a jungle, the forest floor of which was so dense with foliage that when he pressed into the ground to right himself his hand became stuck in a tangle of green vines. As he pushed himself into a sitting position, he not only took stock of his surroundings but also of himself. To put it kindly, he felt like he had just been run over by a Dreadnought and then dragged behind it for 12 parsecs. He ached in places he didn’t know existed until this moment and with a loud groan he got to his feet wondering if joining with the force was still an option. 

After stumbling through the jungle terrain for what felt like hours, Ben finally approached the edge of the forest. He breathed a sigh of relief as he pushed back the final curtain of vines to free himself of this desolate jungle. However, his victory was short-lived, as when he emerged from the forest he found himself face-to-face with a hoard of Ssi-ruuk who all had blaster rifles pointed at his face. 

“Great,” he sighed to himself as the Ssi-ruuk encircled him forcing him to walk ahead with blasters in his back. “Just great.” 

***

“I keep telling you, we need to secure delegations from the Outer Rim territories,” Rose stated flatly in her completely no-nonsense tone she often adopted when it was just her and Finn. She was like the annoying know-it-all sister he never had. Thank the maker. 

Finn rolled his eyes at her in thinly veiled frustration. “I’m aware of that. But who do you propose we reach out to in the Outer Rims?” Finn looked triumphant as Rose fell into a speculative silence. 

“Well... what about Bespin? They’re on the Corellian Trade Spine. Or Ryloth? They’re on the Corellian Run and the Hutts exploited the hell out of them for years. I bet they’d be interested in serving on the Alliance,” Rose finished smugly. 

Her knowledge of the galaxy’s atlas was astounding, he’d give her that, but he still had no idea how they would get these people to the table. He was just about to say so when C-3P0 entered in a manner even more bustley than usual. 

“Sir! Sir!” He exclaimed by way of greeting. Finn took a deep breath. Today might be the day he finally has C-3P0’s voice modulator disabled. 

“What is it, 3P0? We’re right in the middle--”

“It’s Mistress Rey. She has taken Master Luke’s X-Wing and it appears both her and R2 are gone!” he finished frantically. 

Rose looked exasperated and Finn’s mouth simply hung open in disbelief. 

“Well, where the hell is she off to now?” Rose demanded, her hands going to her hips as she appeared to square off for battle. 

“Did she say anything to anyone before leaving?” Finn questioned C-3P0.

C-3P0 merely shook his metallic head stating, “I’m sorry sir, but I’m afraid not.” The group hung their heads, dejected and defeated. “Although I can access R2’s navigation system and determine where they are currently heading.” 

Finn massaged his temples and muttered incoherently under his breath while Rose rolled her eyes at the droid. 

“I’m sorry, what was that, sir?” C-3P0 asked benignly. “Shall I activate R2’s navigation system?”

Finn gritted his teeth as he practically growled out. “Yes, 3P0. Activate the nav system,” As C-3P0 turned to go Finn added, “And 3P0,” the droid paused and turned back to Finn. “Next time, do me a favor and start with the good news.”

***

Rey pulled out of hyperspace as they approached Tatooine. She observed the familiar landscape of sand dunes and couldn’t help but be reminded of Jakku. In some ways the two planets were so similar that it brought about great waves of nostalgia and dread. Although Jakku made her the person she is now, it was a hard fought path for her there and she did not miss it. 

She grounded the X-Wing outside of the Skywalker Moisture Farm and approached on foot with R2 trailing closely behind. When she had last visited the farm it had been buried under sand drifts and she had left it as such, unwilling to disturb what felt like a sacred place. Now as she drew nearer she realized she was unsure how long she would be staying and figured she ought to get the place at least somewhat liveable while she searched for answers among ghosts and ruins. 

She set about her task by once again channeling the Force. Although she had done meditations in order to heal her wounds from the savage ripping of the bond, she had not sought to use the Force otherwise since she had buried the Skywalkers’ lightsabers in the sand. It had hurt her too deeply to access the Force for any means other than healing as the bond was still so raw. She had found relief in closing herself off to it, but now the time called for her to use it again. 

She allowed her eyes to drift shut as she reached out with her hand, letting the energy flow through her. She again felt that weak energy underneath the layers of healing she put into place around the bond, but she had work to do. She cleared layers and layers of sand away and found beneath them a quaint home that would serve a small family well. The home where Luke had grown up. 

Rey walked about the house, cleaning here and there where necessary to resurrect functioning pieces of the house from the sand drifts. As she wandered through the home she came across Luke’s old quarters. A small room she knew instantly was his based on the adverts for the Academy plastering his walls and the small models of different starships lining the room. It was the room of a teenage boy who was restless with longing and aspirations far beyond anything he had ever known. 

Rey smiled at the models around the room and wondered what it must have been like to have dreams. On Jakku, her only dream was of her parents’ return. Her only aspiration was staying alive and learning things that might be useful to her once her parents came back. Her desire to learn ships, to understand mechanics and machinery, to build things, to learn how to fight and defend herself, how to scavenge and survive; all of these came out of the hope that her parents would return and a desperate need to survive. Not from dreams of a life she could have for herself. It was a suppressive and lonely thought that made her turn from the room to venture back outdoors. 

She stood in the entryway of the little sand dune house and knelt to face the two setting suns. Her eyes drifted shut again, and she called out through the force, “Be with me.” She repeated her mantra and focused on the Skywalker twins, hoping one or both of them would hear her call. “Be with me.”

After an hour of meditation and no progress, Rey was ready to give up and call it a night. However, as she rose to stand, she felt the air shift and a presence emerge. 

And with a tone of relief and contentment she heard a voice call out, “Rey.”

***

After being led away by the Ssi-ruuk rangers who had captured him, Ben realized where it was he had been sent after his time in the in-between. He recognized the Ssi-ruuk species from their unique appearance and was able to determine that he was on Lwhekk, one of the furthest planets in the Unknown Regions. One doesn’t tend to forget lessons on a giant bipedal lizard species. Both his mother and Snoke had informed him of this species although their approaches on the topic varied drastically. 

“They’re basically racists against their own species with color-coded caste systems depending on the color their skin takes when they are born,” Leia had told him when discussing planets of the Outer Rim during one of their “diplomacy” lessons. “That said, they have made incredible technological advances, however horrifying those advances may be.” 

He didn’t know what his mother had meant by this until Snoke broached the topic with him years later when they were discussing how to power Starkiller Base.

Snoke had told him, “The Ssi-ruuk have an interesting form of generating power by means of draining a being’s life force called entechment. They use it to power their ships on Lwhekk, but we could potentially parley with their ruler to inquire on the limitations of entechment to power something of the size Starkiller Base will be.” Looking back on it now, Ben was horrified by the implications of using this method to power anything by draining peoples’ lives. Ben could only be relieved that Snoke had not employed this entechment strategy to power Starkiller. He already had enough blood on his hands. 

The galaxy worked in mysterious ways and seemed to have an especially nasty sense of humor today as Ben was hooked up to the Ssi-ruuk’s entechment rig. It was a vertical board the size of a person with clamps and chains to restrain the victim. Each of the clamps ran through the back of the board that housed a power conductor and energy stabilizer which were already making faint humming noises. 

As he was being hooked up to the machine, Ben had to wonder why it was that things like this happened to him after he redeemed himself. He wasn’t allowed to feel too sorry for himself however as a Ssi-ruu approached him, making the high-pitched bird-like whistles their kind used for language. He couldn’t guess what the creature said to him but he had a nasty feeling that it wasn’t good news. 

Up until this point there had been several Ssi-ruuk present to prepare the entechment rig and he had not risked using the force with so many giant lizards pointing blasters at him while he remained unarmed. Now, however, only one Ssi-ruu remained apparently doing final preparations before the machine began to suck out his life force. It was his only chance to act. 

He allowed his mind to quiet and thought back to his uncle’s old teachings, “You will undo these bonds, drop your blaster, and leave this room,” he said in that voice of eerie calm that accompanied Jedi mind-tricks. 

The Ssi-ruu raised its head, as if in a trance, unbuckled the bindings holding him to the rig, dropped his blaster rifle, and beat a hasty retreat.

Wasting no time, Ben grabbed the blaster from the floor and took off down the hall, doing his best to remain inconspicuous and travel silently, peering around corners to ensure the coast was clear before darting ahead in an attempt to find the nearest loading bay. 

He only encountered three Ssi-ruuk on his way and was able to use the force mind-manipulation abilities instead of the blaster which he was grateful for. If he had to strike down Ssi-ruuk on his way out he would, but he felt he had enough blood on his hands for a lifetime. A part of him that he was unwilling to admit existed also wanted to return to Rey a man redeemed, repented, and deserving of her. He couldn’t picture that happening if he got all blaster-happy with racist lizards. 

He finally skidded to a stop outside of a loading bay, spotting a banged up TIE fighter that looked like it had just been worked on. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised as TIEs are pretty common in this part of the galaxy but he felt he’d gotten lucky with a ship he knew the controls of so well. 

His luck ran dry as he ran for the ship and came under fire by a platoon of Ssi-ruuk. He took cover behind a nearby freighter as he assessed the situation. He could attempt to blast himself out of this situation. Surely that’s what his father would have done. He could resourcefully divert the platoon and try to find another ship as his mother would have done. 

However, he found himself thinking about how Rey would approach this predicament. He allowed his eyes to close as he once again channeled that meditative state that the force resided in. Calm and resolute, he found himself walking forward into the frey, shielding himself from blaster fire by deflecting the blaster strikes and pushing Ssi-ruuk soldiers back with the force, and creating barricades with cargo containers in the bay area. 

His path cleared, he charged for the TIE, found the familiar controls in the cockpit, and couldn’t help the lopsided smirk he had inherited from his father as he sped away into the black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! We’re fully immersed in the adventure now. Rey’s off on Tatooine. Ben’s using Jedi mind-tricks and is escaping from the Unknown Regions. Finn and Rose are politicking away. What could go wrong?
> 
> In this chapter I really wanted to highlight Ben’s similarities to Han, so you may have noticed that coming through in this characterization. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter in the comments and as always, kudos are appreciated :)
> 
> Resources used for this chapter:
> 
> [Ssi-ruuk](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Ssi-ruu%E2%80%9D>Ssi-ruuk</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Lwhekk](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Lwhekk/Legends)
> 
> [Entechment](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Entechment%E2%80%9D>Entechment</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Ryloth](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Ryloth)
> 
> [Poe's Backstory](https://dorksideoftheforce.com/2019/12/25/star-wars-poe-tros/)
> 
> [X-Wing Starfighter](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/X-wing_starfighter%E2%80%9D>X-Wing%20starfighter</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)


	3. The Bond

CHAPTER THREE: The Bond

He could feel his body becoming numb with disuse. There was no real room to move about the TIE and he was beginning to develop aches over his already sore and disabused muscles. He plotted a path from Lwhekk to Bakura, the nearest planet connected to a hyperlane and a fuel source. In the depths of Wild Space he didn’t dare jump to lightspeed for fear of colliding with an object in space, or worse, coming upon a black hole. 

Thus he was forced to sit, uncomfortably aching and with a dwindling fuel supply, hoping that he would get to Bakura tomorrow. Apart from fuel, he would need food as well. He was fortunate enough that the previous pilot of this TIE had the forethought to pack spare rations of polystarch. Even though polystarch was absolutely horrendous, it would help him sustain his strength. The time ticked slowly by in the TIE and he let his mind wander which inevitably led him to thoughts of Rey. 

From the time he returned from the in-between realm to his adrenaline-induced departure from Lwhekk he hadn’t been able to assess the bond. It had become a constant in his life over the past few years and pulsed with an energy that was… Rey. He couldn’t explain it if he tried, but the bond for him was a tether not only to Rey but to the better parts of himself. His compassion, empathy, love, and sense of belonging were all tied up in that bond. He accessed it now, uncertain what he would find. 

Sinking into a meditative state, he allowed his mind to ease into a calm depth before pulling on the cord of the bond. He found it, and although it was clearly damaged it still pulsed with her spirit, her energy, and her life. He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. She was safe. That much he knew. 

***

The two suns were setting over the distant horizon on Tatooine as an evening breeze picked up, bringing an unexpected chill to the air. A womp rat scurried across between the two figures standing some ways apart of the barren expanse of sand, bringing Rey out of her transfixed state as she stared at her former master. 

Luke approached slowly, eyeing the moisture farm in the background with some modicum of surprise. “You’re back on Tatooine.” It was a statement, not a question. 

Rey nodded anyway, though it felt redundant, and replied, “I unearthed the farm.” She wasn’t sure if she was looking for his approval or merely stating a fact. 

Luke’s gaze drifted from the farm to Rey, “I see that.” Rey detected a hint laughter at the edge of his tone before he managed to ask somewhat flippantly, “Why?”

Rey opened her mouth to speak but found no answer forthcoming. She came to Tatooine with purpose. She had a whole plan she outlined in her fitful sleep before taking the X-wing and high-tailing it out of Coruscant. And yet here she was, facing her former master outside of his family farm and unable to convey the complexity of her swirling emotions. Doubt, fear, hope, resentment, anger, relief… 

Luke kept his gaze on her, with a clear look of invitation for her to explain herself at anytime. Finally, she exhaled a frustrated sigh before firmly plopping down into the sand, an undignified scowl on her face. 

“I don’t know,” she answered grudgingly, hating that he somehow always made her feel like a small child with her hand caught in the proverbial Batuu-bon jar. 

Luke simply grinned at this, smiling like a damn Loth Cat. He really was enjoying this far too much. He huffed out a laugh and joined Rey in her seated position, side-by-side to enjoy the sunset together. 

“I think you know more than you’re letting on, Rey,” he stated much more somberly as his previous tone of exuberance faded. “Search your feelings,” he implored, staring at her with those intense blue eyes like he could see through the thin layer of denial she had built around her. 

Rey sighed heavily, scrubbing her face with her hands as she attempted to string thoughts and feelings into something coherent. “I couldn’t be there anymore,” she finally managed in a whisper, staring down at her hands which had sunk to her lap, “Around Rose and Finn, Poe and Chewie…” she trailed off as she let her hand sink into the sand beside her, raking the still-warm grains between her fingers. It was a gesture she had often found comfort in growing up on Jakku and the small familiar action gave her the strength to continue. 

“They all have meaning and purpose in this new age of the ‘Galactic Alliance.’ They have their roles and their objectives, and I can’t help feeling useless. Lost,” and finally she met Luke’s gaze, unflinching and unapologetic, “Why do I always feel lost, like my path is unclear?” 

Luke studied her intensely, scanning her eyes, perhaps reading her energy or her thoughts through the force. Finally he smiled, a different sort of smile than his previously exasperated one. A smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes in the soft glow of the sinking suns, and Rey was surprised to see the beginnings of tears forming as well. 

“Oh kid,” he breathed out with a little laugh as his stare returned to the horizon, “If I had the answer to questions like that, I would have lived a very different life. We all struggle with who we are, our place in the world, our purpose, life’s purpose, how to find happiness and meaning,” he paused here and the two allowed a gentle silence to fall between them as Rey took in his words. 

Often, Rey felt alone. It was one of those feelings that was constantly with her and that she wrapped around herself as a protective shield. She used her loneliness and feelings of isolation to push, to survive, to keep going. But as she allowed Luke’s words to resonate with her, she was left questioning whether her own experiences were so unique. What would happen if she gave up this constant mantle of doing things on her own?

But the one person who had been a true partner and really allowed her to feel equal, confident, worthy and wanted was gone.

Rey abruptly turned to Luke again, steeling herself to ask the question she had intended to when she first called to the Skywalkers, “Master, I thought the bond of our Force Dyad died with Ben Solo, but it’s alive inside me again. What is happening? Why is the bond back?” 

Luke fixed her with a look of such intensity Rey found herself holding her breath, her hand paused in the middle of the raking motion she has subconsciously been maintaining during their conversation. Luke fully beamed at her as he rose from the ground to face her. 

“Ben Solo has returned to the galaxy. He lives.” 

***

Finn roughly jostled the communications deck at Coruscant’s control room, full of light with its floor to ceiling windows and an unobstructed view of the cityscape, and let out a growl of frustration. “Stupid piece of space junk,” he mumbled to himself, randomly pressing buttons to get a connection up. Several alarming beeps emitted from the control deck and Finn let out a string of curses in response.

“What the hell are you doing?” Rose demanded, entering the room with thinly veiled annoyance. She slapped his hands out of the way, taking a seat behind the deck. “You’re going to ruin the entire configuration of the panel by poking around here,” she scolded, and with a few well placed pokes and prods of the correct buttons the deck returned to its original state, humming happily. 

Finn glared first at the now fully-operational deck and then at Rose, however once eye contact was made with her he had the decency to look abashed in the wake of her disapproving stare. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot incessantly, the universal sign for wanting an explanation. 

The fight went out of him as Finn gave a resigned sigh. “I’m trying to contact Rey.” 

Rose rolled her eyes but she softened her demeanor toward him, dropped her defensive stance, and walked over to give his shoulder a squeeze. “Finn, you’ve been trying to contact her on and off for the last five hours. You’ve got to give it a rest. That X-wing is well out of range and C-3PO is running R2’s navigation system.” Finn huffed in response and Rose went into reproving mode once again, grabbing him by both shoulders now and turning him so that he was squarely facing her and forced to make eye contact. 

“Hey,” she said, looking fiercely up at him, “Rey is the last Jedi in the galaxy. She can handle her own,” she paused to give him time to process. When he continued to scowl, she carried on, “Besides, she’s as stubborn as you and as smart as me. She’s going to be fine.” Despite himself, the corner of Finn’s mouth twitched and he looked somewhat mollified. “If she’s on a hyperlane she should be able to get to where she’s going today and then we can see where she ended up when she’s in one spot.” 

Begrudgingly, Finn nodded and let out a deep breath, “I just don’t understand why she would cut and run like this. The battle is over. The good guys won. So why is she still running?” 

Rose merely shook her head, “I don’t know, Finn,” She looked out across the deck to the city beyond. “If I had to guess, I’d say she’s having a hard time adjusting to life outside of survival mode and being openly at war. Give her time,” and with that she grabbed Finn’s arm, ushering him away, “Right now though, you and I have a meeting with the Chiss Ascendency delegation, and I’ve got a feeling we’re going to need all of General Organa’s diplomacy skills to pull this one off.”

***

Chewbacca bawed from below deck on the Falcon, working to repair the hyperdrive yet again. 

“Just do your best, Chewie,” Lando called back, making his way up to the bridge. Poe was working on the compressor when he approached, “Chewie said we might need more parts to get the hyperdrive back online but he’s taking a look now,” he said, taking a seat in the co-pilot chair. 

Poe hardly looked up from his work as sparks ignited and he dropped the wires he was holding. He let out a breath and smacked the roof in anger before grinding out, “I don’t know how Rey was ever able to get this piece of trash working, but I have half a mind to scrap this hunk of junk.” 

Lando raised his eyebrows, leaning back in his seat before responding casually, “Chewie will tear your arms off if you try.” 

Poe sighed and sat down in the pilot seat, elbows on the bridge as he put his face in his hands. “Yeah, yeah. When doesn’t he want to rip my arms off?” 

Lando chuckled before recalling why he went to the bridge in the first place. “Poe, Rose sent a comm and wants us to work on some Outer Rim contacts while we’re out here.” 

Poe sat up at that, always ready for another assignment. He liked to be moving and doing, and as they had just wrapped up their assignment for Mid Rim worlds he wasn’t totally thrilled to be going back to Coruscant. 

Although Kijimi was destroyed by First Order, Poe reached out to contacts on surrounding worlds: Cerea, Riflor, Lorta, and Jiroch, where they were now. He had done dealings as a Spice Runner at each of the planets; and yes, they weren’t the most prestigious of folks to bring to the committee, but they were the salt-of-the-earth working class that Rose and Finn felt desperately needed to be represented in the new Galactic Alliance. It was the working class people of worlds that were off the beaten path that tended to suffer most from empires and republics alike, and they were determined not to repeat their predecessors’ past mistakes. 

Poe grinned at Lando, itching for what was next as he asked, “So where to now?” 

Lando laughed at his traveling companion’s eagerness, putting his feet up on the bridge and leaning back further in his seat, “Well, Rose mentioned a few planets she thought would be desirable targets, but I thought we could start with Bespin since it’s right up the hyperlane and I’ve got a few old buddies there.” 

Poe nodded as Chewie walked in bawing loudly and shaking his head vigorously. Lando sat upright again, looking flustered before asking the Wookie, “You’re sure?” 

Again, Chewie emphatically shook his head before leaving the room. 

“What?” Poe asked, staring back and forth between Lando and Chewie before the Wookie left the room and his eyes settled on Lando. 

“Looks like we’re stranded for now, flyboy. We’re going to have to rustle up some parts and do some work before we start off on any new adventures,” Lando reluctantly relayed.

Poe sighed heavily before slumping across the bridge again, “Great.” 

***

Rey was wide awake in Luke’s room where she had decided to stay while she was on the farm. She lay staring at the ceiling, thinking back to her conversation with Luke. He did his best to explain what Dark Transfer was but that what happened with Ben was an anomaly even he couldn’t begin to understand. However, only one part of his explanation came back to her again and again. Ben was alive. She hardly dared to believe it, to hope for it. But that was simply what Rey did. Despite years of her parents not returning to her on Jakku. Facing impossible odds with the resistance. Having mentors and friends alike tell her that things could not happen the way she dreamed. Despite all of these obstacles, she was always able to find hope. 

That excited and longing feeling of hope crept in again and Rey smiled, sinking into herself to connect to the bond once again, not having dared done so for some time, fearing that it would be the same mutilated wound of the past. But there it was, pulsating with a new energy, a healed heartbeat that spread warmth through her limbs. 

Suddenly the room went oddly quiet, a muted sort of silence where no sound penetrates. She sat bolt upright as a tingling feeling spread from her core throughout her body. It was an all too familiar feeling that had been dormant for the past three months. A feeling that had tears pricking the corners of her eyes before she even saw him. 

“Ben!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a super slow burn and of course I left off on the worst cliffhanger, but it had to be done. Gotta build that tension my sweet readers. Don’t worry. More Ben and Rey next chapter. I promise! 
> 
> Also, laying the groundwork for a functioning political system is hard y’all. 
> 
> Here’s what I want to know from you, dear readers. How’s the characterization coming along? You picking up what I’m putting down? And does anyone know how many days it takes to get across the galaxy? The interwebs was failing me on providing a canonically sound answer. If you know, please, please, comment and put me out of my misery. As always, happy reading, leave a comment, give a gal a kudos, and tip your waiters/waitresses. 
> 
> Resources for this chapter:
> 
> [Hyperlane](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Hyperlane%E2%80%9D>Hyperlane</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Bakura](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Bakura/Legends)
> 
> [Lightyear](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Light_year%E2%80%9D>Lightyear</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Space travel](https://www.reddit.com/r/MawInstallation/comments/7m0b20/how_long_does_it_take_to_travel_in_hyperspace/)
> 
> [Batuu-Bon](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Batuu-bon%E2%80%9D>Batuu-Bon</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Force Dyad](https://screenrant.com/star-wars-9-rise-skywalker-rey-kylo-ren-force-dyad-bond/)
> 
> [Kijimi](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kijimi%E2%80%9D>Kijimi</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Chiss Ascendancy](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Chiss_Ascendancy)
> 
> [Lando Calrissian](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Landonis_Balthazar_Calrissian%E2%80%9D>Lando%20Calrissian</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Millennium Falcon](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Millennium_Falcon)
> 
> [Loth Cat](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Loth-cat)


	4. Meetings

CHAPTER FOUR: Meetings

On the Outer Rim, things were a bit more sparse, more wild, and lacking the grace and charms of the Core World planets. The cantina was dingy, the counters of the bar looking as though they hadn’t been wiped down in days, and lit with buzzing lights that only illuminated part of the dank space. It was mostly deserted with a few alien occupants scattered about the space, most of which hardly turned when he walked in, ragged and in desperate need of a meal. 

Ben hastily placed an order at the counter, avoiding eye contact with everyone, before selecting a seat at a booth in the far corner of the cantina. Away from any prying eyes. He was worried about what sort of response he would get from those who would recognize him as the previous Supreme Leader of the galaxy. Not only was he unsure how First Order sympathizers would react to his appearance three months after his supposed death, but he also didn’t know how those who aligned with Resistance would respond to his resurrection. Would they accept him? Reject him? Berate him? Maybe even kill him on the spot? Better to avoid everyone than risk being recognized. 

The service droid came over to deliver his meal and Ben descended on it without a second thought. The manners and decorum he learned from his mother and all of her etiquette teachings went out the window as blind hunger set in. He had been stuck in the cockpit of that TIE for 18 standard hours and after eating two portions of the polystarch rations he found on board (which seemed to only fuel his hunger), he was relieved to have something of more substance to fill his stomach. 

Just as he finished his meal however, the room went quiet as if someone had just flicked a switch turning off all noise and sound around him. His body hummed with recognition as he turned, knowing what he would see but hardly daring to believe it. 

She was sitting at a table a short distance from him, her eyes glossed over with unshed tears and her mouth upturning into the most heartbreakingly vulnerable smile. He couldn’t help the stinging heat that grew just behind his eyes. Their gazes met, and she gasped out the single most perfect syllable he had ever heard, “Ben!” 

Both of them were too stunned to move at first, just drinking in the sight of one another, each unwilling to tear their eyes away from the other. She was exactly as he remembered, warm chocolate eyes, petite nose, and a sweet and gentle mouth with tulip pink lips, which were parted in surprise and delight. Her hair was down and she wore sleep attire, a loose fitting light colored tunic that draped over the same color leggings. She was barefoot. 

“Are you in bed?” he queried. She nodded in return as they both seemed to come back to themselves once Ben vocalized the question. 

She studied him in return, assessing and surveying, before asking, “Where are you?” 

“A decrepit cantina on the edge of the Outer Rim. Bakura,” he answered, looking around his surroundings which he knew she wouldn’t be able to see. “It’s a shit hole.” She laughed at that and he thought his heart might stop. He was unable to keep the smile from his face at the bubble of laughter that rushed from her, uninhibited and carefree. He leaned forward in his seat, letting the smile drop from his face and looking at her intensely, “Rey, where are you?”

“Tatooine,” she responded shortly, folding her legs up into a cross-legged sitting position. She could see the surprise and bemusement in his face as she went on to answer his unasked question. “I came when I felt the bond again,” she rubbed at a spot on her chest as if the area had a deep ache she was trying to soothe. “I needed answers,” she finished quietly, dropping her gaze to her lap. 

He nodded his understanding as words felt unnecessary. He knew the feeling too well. But before he could say anything further, before he even had the time to get over his shock, go to her, and hold her as he had wanted to since the moment he returned from the in-between, the bond snuffed out and Rey was there no longer. He growled in frustration as his fist came down with a bang on the table. People from across the cantina turned to stare at him but he was up in a flash, realizing he needed to keep moving. Once the bond cut off it was done for a while. And now he knew where she was and where he needed to go. Now to commission a ship he hadn’t stolen and make his way to Tatooine. 

***

Rose paced in an elegant looping shape that spanned the picturesque conference room with floor to ceiling windows that showed the expansive cityscape beyond. She wondered to herself how she had ended up here, a Coruscanti politician, when she’d grown up as a poor mining colony child. Kriff if she knew. But here she was, attempting to bring worlds together under a new Galactic government that she was helping create. She sighed and tugged at her Haysian ore medallion, her fingers tracing the intricate designs across the surface as she thought. 

The door slid open to reveal a very harried looking Finn accompanied by a chattering C-3PO, “--alliances of this nature do take time, Sir, and a careful hand which--” he was cut off in mid-protocol rant when Rose made a beeline for Finn.

“Did they at least agree to attend the committee meeting tomorrow?” she burst out, both hands clasping her medallion so hard her knuckles went white. 

Finn looked rather panicked back and forth between C-3PO and Rose before dragging his hands down his face and letting out a long exhale, “They want to have dinner with us and chat about the five year plan of this Galactic Alliance, what strategies we will be employing to roll these objectives out, and they’d like us to specifically outline how the Chiss Ascendancy will benefit from these objectives and new government model compared to operating independently…” he trailed off, unable to meet Rose’s gob-smacked stare. 

Rose’s hands had fallen to her sides during Finn’s speech and balled into fists. Her expression went from mouth open-in-horror to gritted teeth and furrowed brows, and she turned from Finn abruptly stomping to the window in fury. 

“Those stuck-up, Imperial-sympathizing, scum-buckets!” she bellowed, “They think they can come in here, making demands,” she ground out impetuously as she paced back to Finn, “when they sold out the Republic to side with Palpatine?!”

Finn’s eyes widened and he glanced to the door, approaching Rose as if she were an unstable proton bomb ready to blow. Holding his hand up to his mouth in the universal shushing gesture, he continued in a hushed tone, “Rose, I understand, but they are in the other room waiting for our response.” He grasped her by the shoulders, forcing her to stop fidgeting and make eye contact, “We are in this together, ok? I get that you hated the Empire because it led to the First Order and the First Order ran your planet into the ground,” Rose’s eyes welled up in frustration but also at the mention of her home world, and Finn squeezed her shoulder as he continued, “But we have to work with these people. We need galactic representation, and the Chiss are an important part of the galaxy. We need them.” 

Rose took a deep breath and thought of all she had done for the Resistance and how far they had come to get there. She squeezed her eyes shut as she unclenched her fists and took another deep breath. Rose nodded, adopted a determined furrow in her brow, and stated bluntly, “Alright. Let’s go.”

***

Rey awoke the morning after the bond connected her and Ben, uncertain if it had been a dream. But as she felt for the bond that tethered them together, the hum and glow she felt deep inside confirmed it had been real. Rey swallowed against the tight lump left in her throat. She blinked rapidly, attempting to dispel the moisture that pricked at the corners of her eyes. She didn’t want to cry now, but there was a chaos of emotions at war within her. Finally, she had seen him again. Alive and whole. Relief, fear, yearning, and grief all seemed to rage in her. It still seemed so surreal, seeing him through the bond again. He was across the galaxy, but she knew he would stop at nothing to get to her. And she would be there, ready and waiting for him. It was a state she knew all too well.

With those thoughts fueling her, Rey rose from the bed and got ready for the day, preparing some of the meager food rations she had brought with her for breakfast as she contemplated her next move. First things first, she was going to find a map of the galaxy and look up where the hell Bakura was. 

She perused the house in search of a map amidst the Skywalkers’ old things. Rey pulled out and organized the meager farmhouse assets as she went through room by room. She came across collections of kitchen appliances, parts for vaporators, old piles of clothing, droid parts, and what appeared to be a box of tokens, trinkets, and perhaps historic memorabilia. In the box she found some trophies that Luke had clearly won in some local cruiser races around Tatooine, a woman’s decorative jade hair comb, a small pilot doll, a lock of braided hair, and a necklace with a delicately carved piece of japor ivory wood. 

Rey paused as she pulled out the necklace, feeling conflict in the Force as she held it in the center of her palm. Her brow furrowed and she closed her eyes to sink deeper into the Force to understand what it was trying to tell her. There was pain linked with this little talisman, deep, heartbreaking pain that radiated from it, but another feeling as well. Rey couldn’t quite place it, but it held a happiness that filled her heart and infused her limbs with warmth and want. It was a feeling that seemed to fill the void of loneliness Rey was used to carrying with her. Although there was good and bad at war in the japor snippet, she couldn’t seem to stop herself from placing the leather cord around her neck and letting the little wood carving rest just below the hollow of her throat.

Finally, through her searching of the house, she was in luck. Of course she found it among Luke’s old things. Clearly, he was studying the map in preparation for becoming a pilot with the academy and had made notes on the map and atlas regarding some of the planets he was interested in visiting someday. Unsurprisingly, there were no notes on Bakura as he clearly had no plans of going there. 

She found it on the edge of the map just before Wild Space and the Unknown Regions. Ben was literally on the galaxy’s edge, and he would have to travel at least three standard days in order to reach Tatooine even with the use of hyperlanes. And who knew what he would be flying in and what capabilities the ship would have. She sighed to herself thinking she might as well get comfortable. It seemed she’d be on Tatooine for a while. 

***

“How do I always get sucked into playing this game with you?” Poe grunted to Chewie, clearly losing in Dejarik yet again. The holo figures on the gameboard seem to glare up at Poe in derision. He attempted to move one of his creatures on the board and Chewie roared in delight, immediately attacking the piece. 

BB-8 rolled to Poe’s side and let off a series of beeps that made Poe’s scowl deepen. “Yeah, I know I’m bad at this game. I’m not blind, BB-8.” 

They had finally managed to get the necessary repairs done on the Falcon. It had taken longer than they had anticipated which ended up stranding them temporarily on Jiroch for two standard days as they acquired the necessary parts. Poe had been restless to say the least. Now with said repairs done, the crew was merrily making their way up the hyperlane to Bespin to meet with Lando’s contacts. At least everyone had been in high spirits until Chewie had suggested a game of Dejarik. Poe, so excited to be on the move again, happily agreed. Now, he was deeply regretting that decision. 

He made another tentative move which Chewie immediately destroyed and he inwardly cringed. Luckily, he was spared another embarrassing defeat when Lando entered. 

“Poe, Chewie, knock it off with that game, we’re entering Bespin’s atmosphere,” he stated bluntly, heading back to the bridge. Poe happily shut off the game and rushed to join Lando. “You’re welcome for putting you out of your misery,” Lando said quietly before Chewie could enter. 

Poe had no time for a clever retort as he took the Falcon off auto-pilot. They broke through the clouds of Bespin and headed for a docking station on Lando’s old stomping grounds amidst the splendor of Cloud City. It had been some time since he had returned to Bespin, but he had a useful contact that was familiar with trade and diplomacy that he was sure would be interested in meeting about the Galactic Alliance. 

The trio docked and made their way across the platform, Lando calling out to the docking attendant, “We’re here to meet with your esteemed trader of the rare Tibanna gas, Pabram Kenpow. Any idea where we could find him?” The attendant’s eyes went wide at the mention of the gas as well as Kenpow’s name. He shook his head furiously before beating a hasty retreat, looking over his shoulder nervously at the newcomers until he was safely out of sight. 

Lando frowned, “Alright, well that was strange…” Poe unholstered his blaster, now unsure of the welcome they would receive and opting to go with his gut instinct to be cautious and on alert. Chewie bawed in distress as the three of them made their way forward with BB-8 beeping and rolling along behind them. 

They made their way over to a local gaming spot that was part club, part watering hole for the semi-elite where Lando suspected they could get some answers. Before they entered, Lando pulled Poe aside, “Keep your blaster holstered for now but unclipped. Keep it out of sight but be at the ready.” 

Poe looked skeptical but nodded his understanding and holstered his blaster, covering it up with his jacket before reaching for Lando’s arm as he moved to enter the establishment, “Lando, what are we in for here?” 

Lando looked from Poe, to the club, and back to him and in a whisper replied, “I don’t know kid, but be ready for anything.” 

They entered together, Poe’s eyes diligently scanning the room for a threat, while Lando looked for familiar faces he could get information from. Chewie hung back with BB-8, prepared to remain on the perimeter of the room and be ready to help with the escape route should the need arise. 

However, a dark figure in the corner of the club looking like he was attempting to haggle over a trade of some sort with a local, caught Chewie’s eye. The Wookie wasn’t sure if it was the posture, mannerisms, or the distinctive profile of the man’s face that grabbed his attention, but without further thought, he passed both Poe and Lando who looked up at the massive figure in abject surprise and stalked toward him. 

The man looked up, eyes wide in surprise and alarm, before the Wookie even reached him. He seemed to sense his presence, and held his hands up in defense and surrender. “Chewbacca, I know you’re pissed. You have every right-” but the man was abruptly stopped as Chewie wrenched him up from his seat by his collar, ready to tear off his arms, before Lando and Poe arrived to intercede. 

“Chewie, what the hell are you doing?” Poe ground out, “We’re trying to keep a low profile here.” He looked around to the crowd that had stopped what they were doing and an erie silence had fallen over the bustling club. Poe smiled widely, putting a hand on one of Chewie’s large furry forearms in an attempt to have him lower the man. “Nothing to see here, just a game of sabacc gone awry. Wookies, am I right?” The crowd seemed pacified by this response and the club went back to the previous whirl of activity and noise.

The local that the man had been talking to had scampered off at the first sign of trouble, and Poe looked to Lando to see if he was going to talk some reason into Chewie. However, the expression that greeted him was wholly unexpected. Lando looked like he had just swallowed a swarm of drochs, his eyes fixed on the man Chewie still held loosely by the collar. 

Finally, Poe looked at the man they were both reacting so strongly to and almost dove for his blaster, just barely managing to contain the instinct in such a public place. Although he had only seen that face unmasked once or twice, there was no doubt in the general’s mind. He was looking on the face of the former Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone says anything, I know the japor snippet necklace was buried with Padme. She tried to give it ObiWan but he didn’t know it’s significance. But in this story I’m altering canon just slightly so that ObiWan felt the significance of the piece in the force and passed it on to Luke and Leia’s aunt and uncle, who put it in a box to give to Luke and forgot about it.
> 
> I’m leaving you on a cliffhanger, I know, but I promise it’s all building to great things and we will have lots of tension-y stuff. One of the goals of this fic is to really dig into how Ben and Rey’s experiences have shaped them into who they are. Both of them have all the baggage and need all the therapy, but it makes for some really compelling drama, angst, and romance, so we’re getting there, I promise. But we have to do all the background to make the payoff that much sweeter. As always, I love hearing from you guys. References for this chapter include:
> 
> [Chiss](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Chiss%E2%80%9D>Chiss</a>%20%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Rose Tico](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Rose_Tico)
> 
> [Rose's Medallion](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Rose%27s_medallion%E2%80%9D>Rose%E2%80%99s%20medallion</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Proton Bomb](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Proton_bomb)
> 
> [Moisture Farm](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Moisture_farm%E2%80%9D>Moisture%20Farm</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Bakura](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Bakura/Legends)
> 
> [Dejarik](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Dejarik%E2%80%9D>Dejarik</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Bespin](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Bespin)
> 
> [Star Wars name generator](https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/human-sw-names.php%E2%80%9D>Star%20Wars%20name%20generator</a>%20used%20for%20Pabram%20Kenpow%0A%0A<a%20href=) used for Pabram Kenpow
> 
> [Sabacc](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sabacc)
> 
> [Droch](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Droch%E2%80%9D>Droch</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Japor Snippet](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Japor_snippet/Legends)


	5. Old Wounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey team! Apologies about the belated update. Life got a bit crazy for a couple of weeks! Please see the end of the chapter for more notes from me. Enjoy!

CHAPTER FIVE: Old Wounds

Ben struggled against Chewie’s vice-like grip on his collar, but opted to make no sudden movements and remain compliant to ease the Wookie’s reaction. He didn’t attempt to reason with anyone, waiting for them to make the first move. Lando was the first to recover from his initial shock and act with any sort of rational thought. 

“Chewie, put Ben down.” The Wookie roared in protest, but Lando leveled an even gaze at him, calmer and more put-together than the rest of the party, staring at him until Chewie hesitantly and begrudgingly began to lower Ben to the ground. 

“Thank you,” Ben mumbled, eyes fixed on the ground as he massaged his throat tenderly. 

But a mix of palpable revulsion and detestation crept into Lando’s expression, his eyes were like shards of glass ready to cut him down in an instant. “Don’t confuse my pity with generosity. I only asked Chewie to put you down because I owe your parents dearly, may they both rest in peace.” If Ben looked uncomfortable before, he looked like he would crawl out of his skin with shame and regret at the mention of his parents. However, Ben was a master at quelling his feelings, and he retreated behind an indifferent mask so quickly, Lando was left wondering if he only imagined the remorse on the young man’s face.

Lando gestured to the booth Ben had previously occupied and with a tentativeness as if the whole booth was boobytrapped with proton bombs, the party took their seats around the table. Poe and Chewie looked like they might dive across to accost Ben at any moment and Ben shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unsure where or to whom he should look. 

Poe could no longer remain silent, Lando’s calm demeanor finally chafing him into action. “Why are we sitting with the Supreme Leader?” he whisper-yelled to Lando, doing his best to keep this interaction from gaining too much attention but wanting his frustration to be known to his comrade. 

Lando looked at Poe cooly before he shifted his attention back to Ben, “I believe you are the former Supreme Leader who I thought died before the Battle of Exegol.” 

“He’s like a cockroach. Surviving despite constant attempts to exterminate him, living in the shadows of society, and hoping to disappear in the aftermath,” Poe ground out cruelly. 

Poe’s reaction was to be expected, but Ben couldn’t help the genuine shock that flitted across his face at Lando’s comment. “You thought I died before the Battle of Exegol?” he inquired hollowly, “I was there.” His voice had taken on a haunted quality speaking volumes to what he had seen and experienced there, with a shade of vulnerability seeping into his tone. But he stopped himself before explaining further. Had Rey told them nothing of him turning sides? Of their final assault on Palpatine? Of both of them dying in the process only for him to bring her back and him to return months later? His mouth set into a grim line as he swallowed these burning questions down, unwilling to explain himself to these people who still saw him as an enemy. 

Although Poe still looked ready to throw down the cold-hearted monster he knew as Kylo Ren, both Chewie and Lando saw the break in Ben’s demeanor and couldn’t shake that this man was different than the Supreme Leader they had come to know him as. 

When it became apparent that Ben would speak no further, Lando cut in with another inquiry, “So how did you come to be on Bespin? How are you alive?” 

During this entire exchange Ben had looked anywhere to avoid making eye contact with the men and Wookie across from him. However, at this question, his penetrating gaze locked onto Lando, a quiet anger and hurt looming beneath as he shot back in clipped dismissive tones, “Ask your Jedi.”

He moved to stand and depart, but Poe jumped up, hand at his blaster in a flash, drawing it discreetly and shoving the tip into Ben’s abdomen. “I don’t think so, Ren.” Ben grimaced in frustration, wishing he hadn’t promised himself to be a better man so he could Force-throw the trigger-happy flyboy out of his way. Instead, he growled out a sigh and took his seat again taking a deep breath to try and calm his flare of anger.

“I was left marooned on a planet in the Unknown Regions, stole a ship and made my way to Bakura where I was able to trade out ships. I’m on Bespin to refuel and thought I’d try to get some information on the First Order’s demise while I was at it.” It was a grossly simplified version of what happened and left out any of the redeeming moments he had in the process of his return as Ben Solo, but he’d be damned if he swallowed his pride to tell these fools about something they should have already known. Things he had assumed Rey would tell them.

Poe looked ready to ask another heated question when Lando cut in again, “Have you found out anything useful?” 

Ben stared at Lando in disbelief, leaning back from the table as the corner of his mouth twitched up in chagrin as a gruff chuckle escaped him, “Same as always, ever resourceful and scheming, Calrissian.” 

Lando was so taken aback by how much Ben reminded him of Han in that moment he couldn’t help his own surprised smile and deep-throated laugh that escaped him. Lando shook his head before he could get swept up in any further sentimental moments, and leaned forward to say in a quieter more conspiratorial voice, “I was looking to connect with Pab Kenpow.” 

At that Ben sat up, shaking his head as he leaned closer in as well, “Kenpow died about a week ago from what I can gather. He got on the wrong end of some First Order sympathizers that are looking to make a power grab here on Bespin while there’s a vacuum in governance.” 

Poe looked shocked at this. Were they really trading information with Kylo Ren? What in the hell was Calrissian doing? “Lando,” Poe attempted to interject, wanting to warn him off from believing this First Order piece of scum, but Lando quieted him with a look. 

“There’s a new Galactic Alliance forming to encompass all regions of the galaxy and put the tyranny of the First Order and the Empire behind us once and for all. A true democratic republic for everyone.” Ben looked skeptical at this notion but remained silent as Lando went on, quieter still. “It was your mother’s dream.” 

Ben slumped in his seat at that and nodded, knowing Lando was right. It was all Leia tried to do his entire life. He thought back to the in-between world and wished he had been able to talk to her more, to understand her motivations and reasons back then. How it had led to her distancing herself from him. Both of his parents opted to send him away rather than deal with him themselves, and the rejection still grated. But his mother had always wanted to bring people together, to instill peace. Her loss reverberated in his chest as he looked to Lando again, determination and conviction stealing over him. 

“You need to talk to Bryamay Haniff,” Ben whispered, leaning far over the table and using the Force to determine if anyone was attempting to listen in on their conversation from nearby tables. “I haven’t seen her in years,” since his father and he had come on a ‘trading’ excursion the year before he went to Luke for Jedi training, “but I’m sure she’s outlasted Kenpow. Bry’s tough and deadly if you cross her wrong. But she’s your best bet if you’re wanting a Bespin representative. She commands respect from all, she’s a determined strategist, and she rubs elbows with the elite and scummy people alike.” 

Lando nodded as Chewie bawed a warning, eyes fixed on the door. Lando and Ben looked to the door to see what Chewie had indicated, while Poe determinedly kept his eyes and blaster on Ben. There were a mix of eight men and women filtering into the establishment dressed entirely in black with red armbands tied over their right biceps. 

“That would be the Regulation Board,” Ben whispered, inching to the edge of the booth. “The First Order sympathizers I told you about.” That got Poe’s attention and he whipped around in his seat, inadvertently drawing the attention of the very people he was turning to see and size up. 

The Regulation Board members began cutting through the crowd, making a beeline for the small party in the back booth. 

“Wish I could stay and help, but I don’t want Dameron to shoot me. Best of luck, Calrissian, Chewie,” and with that Ben slipped quickly from the booth, moving smoothly through the crowd and somehow avoiding any unwanted attention as Poe, Lando, and Chewie got to their feet, preparing to fight their way out.

***

Rey had been on Tatooine waiting for Ben for what felt like an eternity as she watched the dual suns go down again for the billionth time. She used to be a master at staring off into sun-drenched sandy horizons, but now that she was anticipating something the time seemed to drag by at a relentlessly slow pace. It had been two standard days since the Force had connected them. Where is he?

Just when she was about to turn, make herself some food, and resign herself to another night of listless and lonely sleep, she felt the hum in her body and the muting quiet around her that indicated the connection was forming. A wide smile broke across her face. He was facing away from her, looking intently at something in his surroundings. When he felt the Force bond and her presence, he turned toward her, arms crossed over his broad chest, and a carefully blank expression on his face. 

The smile slid from her face as she both saw and felt that something was amiss with him. “What’s wrong?” Rey asked cautiously, suddenly on high alert, anxiety coursing through her and into the bond she shared with him. 

Ben shook his head dismissively, although his grim expression didn’t change, “Everything is ok. I’m alright.” Rey let out a sigh of relief. She felt the tension in the bond ease slightly, although she felt Ben was still holding something back from her. 

After giving him another scanning, assessing look she decided to move on, asking him, “Where are you?” 

He offered a small smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes as he looked back over his shoulder at whatever he was staring at before. She thought she could see blue reflected in his eyes. His voice became hushed with a tone of reverence as he responded, “Naboo.”

Rey had studied the galaxy’s map and atlas hundreds of times since they had last been connected through the Force and memorized every path along hyperlanes that would take Ben from Bakura to her on Tatooine. Naboo wasn’t along the most direct path, but he was getting closer. About a day more of hyperspace travel and he would arrive on Tatooine. 

It was the way in which he said it, however, that she knew he must have stopped on Naboo for a reason, diverting from the more obvious path. But she saw Ben’s eyes glaze with tears as he turned back to her. 

“My family,” he began, but had to pause and swallow a lump in his throat, “My grandmother, was Queen of Naboo and a Senator for the Galactic Republic. This is where it all started… where my grandparents fell in love.” His voice trailed off, breaking eye contact with her, head falling forward to look at his feet. 

Rey’s heart went out to him and she couldn’t stop her feet as they carried her over to him in three quick strides. She reached for his arm, but before she made contact with him he pulled away, turning his back to her again. Rey retracted her hand, more than a little hurt and confused. 

“Ben, what’s going on? What’s wrong?” 

Coldness radiated from his back and mingled with pain she could feel through the Force, and although he didn’t turn to her, he finally answered. Drawing a deep breath and letting his massive shoulders sag he replied, “I ran into Dameron, Calrissian, and Chewbacca on Bespin.” 

Rey’s eyebrows shot up at that. She was unsure what to say or why this upset him so much. 

Ben turned to her, eyes no longer glassy with tears but replaced by a cold fury that made her cringe, “They thought I died before Exegol. They didn’t even know I was there. Did you tell them anything about what happened? About Palpatine? Your history?” and though it pained him dearly to voice it he finished his train of thought in a strained whisper, “Us?” 

It was Rey’s turn to shy away from his eyes, ducking her head as she fumbled with the japor snippet necklace, tears of shame burning in her eyes. She blinked rapidly in a bid to keep the tears from falling as Ben moved to turn from her again. She let out a distressed groan as she grabbed his forearm, turning him to face her. 

At the contact, they both gasped. It had been so long since they had touched through the Force bond, and although it didn’t have the same potency as actual physical touch, they both felt it to the core of their beings as the Force lit up and hummed between them. 

“I’m so sorry, Ben,” she said weakly, her eyes seeking his desperately. She gulped and tried again, more firmly, “I didn’t know how to talk about it. None of them knew what we had. I didn’t know how to explain it and I was destroyed when I lost you.” Tears fell freely now and she continued on, “The ache in the bond, in my chest… it felt like my very soul was ripped from me when you left. How could I talk about you, to explain to people who have no concept of the Force, of our bond, of you?”

Although he had been tense under her touch, he visibly relaxed during her proclamation, squaring up with her as he reached out to wipe a stray tear from her cheek. She leaned into his touch and he cupped her face in his large hand, tilting her face up to his. Her breath caught in her throat as their faces came closer together, her body pressing flush against his as their lips met for the first time since Exegol. 

Her body felt as if it was on fire and that every sense she possessed was alight to a new level of awareness. She could smell his soap and something of the ocean, a hint of salt and dew that clung to his skin as she wove her hands through his wavy mane. His cheek was rough with stubble as it grazed against her own smooth pink flesh and she delighted at the friction. She held onto every sensation, every flicker of feeling, as she clung to him and poured every bit of her want and desire into him, savoring his lips on hers. It was sweet, tender, but with a wealth of emotion that was raw, real, and biting. It was also entirely too short, for when they broke apart to look into each others’ eyes, Rey found herself once again staring into a desert landscape. The Force connection had taken him away all too soon and she found herself wanting to curse the galaxy for his abrupt departure. 

***

After wooing the Chiss with a decadent dinner in the upper level of Coruscant, a walk through the famous hanging botanical gardens kept at the highest tier of the cityscape, and a night at the Valorum Operetta Theater, Finn was exhausted. Between calming Rose’s ever-growing impatience with the Ascendancy’s delegates, playing nice with the Chiss, and the endless amounts of socializing and demogratic graces he found himself struggling to wield, he sought solitude in Rey’s old bunk which was small and unobtrusive. It was times like this that he desperately missed his Jedi scavenger friend. He smiled at the top of the bunk as he thought of her. She would hate all of this bureaucratic bullshit. He let out a heavy sigh wondering what his friend was up to now. 

Her nav signature hadn’t changed from Tatooine, so he knew she was still there. He had no idea why she was hanging around there for so long, but he figured he owed it to her to let her have some space and sort herself out. She was clearly going through something. Besides, he had his hands full here anyway. 

On that cheerful thought, Rose came bursting into the bunk, looking relieved as she let out an exasperated breath. “There you are!” she exclaimed and plopped down on a stool beside the bunk as Finn attempted to sink through the mattress and be swallowed whole. Rose looked around the small space wondering aloud, “Why are you in here? You’ve got much bigger quarters on the upper level.” 

Finn closed his eyes, saying a quiet prayer to the Force to give him strength as he dealt with his incredibly frustrating and tenacious friend, “Well, I was hiding from you and the Chiss and all of my responsibilities, but it seems you’ve found me,” he deadpanned as he sat up, knowing it was useless now to try and escape. 

Rose just laughed. “Oh Finn, you know you can’t hide from me.” And he should have known better. He wouldn’t be surprised if she put some sort of tracking device on him. “Besides, I need you. You’re much better at playing politician than I am.” 

And that was undeniably true. As a former Stormtrooper who defected he had learned how to blend in, comply when necessary, and go through the motions. He also learned a lot from General Organa is his time with the Resistance to know when to push and when to sit back in diplomacy. Leia had attempted to work with Poe on this as well but he was too antsy to sit still long enough for a lesson on statesmanship. Rose was still more of an angry Rathtar when it came to negotiations, and so they made a decent team by balancing each other out. 

“Did the Chiss agree to the terms of the Alliance?” Finn asked wearily, suspecting they’d probably want to do yet another series of inane extravagant activities while they hashed out more queries of their delegations involvement in the Alliance. 

Rose merely beamed at him in reply and Finn shot off the bunk and whooped with excitement, pumping his fist in the air like every time he had shot down a rogue TIE in battle. 

“I know! I couldn’t believe it either,” Rose replied as Finn gave her a bone crushing hug which she finally batted away in exasperation. She leveled him with a more somber expression and Finn stopped his exclamations immediately, looking hesitant and weary at her change in demeanor. 

“What is it?” he asked, a note of dread creeping into his voice. 

Rose sighed, her gaze shifting around the room rather than remaining on Finn, struggling to find the words, “Well, I just got a comm from Poe,” she started tentatively, shifting her weight from foot to foot and playing with her medallion. “It seems their contact in Bespin is dead,” she continued gravely, but Finn sensed that wasn’t all she had to say and so remained quiet, his eyes blazing firmly as he narrowed his focus further. “They got a tip from an unexpected source though and we have a new delegate to coordinate with on Bespin,” she finished, still not meeting his gaze. Something about the way she spoke, Finn knew she was holding something back. 

Finn continued to stare at her, getting anxious now as he shot out, “Well? That’s good news isn’t it?”

Rose squirmed again under his penetrating gaze and finally made eye contact with him, “Yes... but you’re not gonna believe who we got the tip from.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t hate me for separating Ben and Rey so quickly! Hey, I gave you a kiss!! Hoping it appeased you enough to satiate you until they get in person. Now’s a good time to remind you, this will be an Explicit fic. So yes, sex is coming. Or should I say cuming. Patience, young padawans. 
> 
> Also, yes Rey and Ben need to talk about their feelings. These dumb dumb babies are so traumatized they aren’t going to be good at a relationship right away. They need space therapy, but I’ll settle for heartfelt conversations about their pasts and their feelings. 
> 
> This chapter was a bit longer and I suspect they might be longer from here on out as our story develops more and more. Also, our gang will be reuniting here soon and then shit will go from 0 to 60. Kudos, comments, and all the things are appreciated. I’m an insatiable author who loves those affirmations. Thanks for reading!
> 
> References:
> 
> [Star Wars Name Generator](https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/human-sw-names.php%E2%80%9D>Star%20Wars%20Name%20Generator%20for%20Bryamay</a>,%20last%20name%20is%20something%20I%20created%0A%0A<a%20href=) for Bryamay, last name is something I created
> 
> [Naboo](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Naboo)
> 
> [Coruscant](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Coruscant%E2%80%9D>Coruscant</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Rathtar](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Rathtar)


	6. Dreams, Schemes, and Revelations

CHAPTER SIX: Dreams, Schemes, and Revelations

Rey couldn’t stop herself from pacing the small living quarters of the former Skywalker Moisture Farm with its bare, beige walls and absolutely nothing to distract her from that interaction with Ben. She paused in her pacing as she let her fingertips gently brush her lips, still staggering from the galaxy-shattering kiss they had shared. She thought of Ben’s broad chest, taut and muscled, unrelenting in his hold of her, of his hands fanned out over the small of her back making her feel small but so utterly safe in his arms. 

But those thoughts came to a crashing halt as she recalled the rest of their interaction. He had been so hurt, and she had done that to him. She shut herself down when things got to be too much or too real. Sure, she could fight when lives were at stake, but trying to explain her thoughts, feelings, and actions to someone else? Explain how Ben Solo had returned to bring Palpatine down? Share their last intimate moments together? The thought made her sick to her stomach and she sat at the kitchen counter, her head in her hands as she tried to take deep, steadying breaths.

R2-D2 emerged from one of the back rooms, approaching Rey slowly, his beeps rather subdued. Rey regarded the droid wearily before she answered, “I’m struggling R2. Every time I think I’ve found my path, my purpose, I seem to get in my own way and mess everything up.” Rey reached for the necklace at her throat again, feeling the strange mixture of emotions tied to the small trinket. Love but tinged with a deep sadness. An ache of longing and loss. She supposed that’s what drew her to it as it mirrored her own conflicting feelings. 

As Rey toyed with the necklace R2 beeped animatedly, shifting back and forth with excitement. Rey dropped her hand hastily from the necklace, all her focus going to the droid, “This was Master Luke’s mother’s? Ben’s grandmother’s?” R2 jostled up and down in excitement and confirmed her speculations. 

R2 rolled closer and his beeps came out less urgently. Rey’s eyes widened as she took off the necklace to look at it more closely, studying the carving etched into the surface, allowing her fingers to skirt over every well-loved line, “This was Padme Amidala’s.” Something Ben said to her came back as she held the necklace closely, “She was Queen of Naboo, the woman who married Anakin Skywalker in secret before he became Darth Vader.” She now understood the reverence this token seemed to hold, along with the amount of raw energy and emotion coming off of it through the Force. 

Rey tucked herself into the old bunk with thoughts of the Skywalker line, Padme Amidala, and wondered if Ben Solo would still come after all. Had she hurt him too much with her silence? She tossed and turned restlessly for some time, the old and worn fabric of the sheets scratching and irritating her skin, however, eventually she drifted off. 

Rey found herself walking in a beautiful state room, embellished with plush furnishings that looked so soft they would swallow you whole. It wasn’t gaudy but rather elegant and regal in its finishings, with white gossamer curtains blowing serenely in the breeze that came from the balcony. A lone figure stood out there, surveying the vast expanses of crystal blue water that pooled on the lands below. Rey was drawn to the quiet breeze of the evening and the small figure. She approached cautiously and noticed that the person stood with her shoulders drawn back, hands fixed firmly on the balcony’s ledge, looking grand and graceful in a mauve gown with fine embroidering and pearl drop embellishments that glistened in the setting sun. Her hair was set in an elaborate chestnut chignon at the base of her neck, with a draped pearl headpiece ornately placed atop her head. This stranger dripped with an elegance, finesse, and poise that Rey knew nothing of as a desert scavenger.

As Rey made her way over and stood next to the woman, the elegant lady turned to face her. She nodded in acknowledgement, a sweet kind smile playing about her face, and yet for some reason Rey couldn’t help but notice her eyes felt haunted and sad. It was at that moment that Rey was struck with who she was. 

“Queen Amidala?” she ventured, unable to tear her gaze from the woman and attempting to keep her expression in check so she wasn’t gaping at her like an accosted Porg. 

The woman took her hands in her own, as her daughter Leia once had, and smiled more fully. This time it almost reached her eyes. “Please, call me Padme.” 

Rey gulped audibly and nodded. Padme squeezed her hands before allowing them to drop as she turned back toward the picturesque sunset over what Rey could only assume was Naboo. Rey joined her, looking out across the expanse as Padme continued, “He is so much like my Anakin,” her tone was wistful and full of longing, “And yet his choices show just how different he is,” she finished with a small sigh, her gaze shifting down to her hands clasped on the balcony. 

Rey’s heart broke for her. She didn’t know what had happened to cause Darth Vader to rise and Anakin Skywalker to cease to exist, but she knew Padme must have gotten caught in the crossfire. Perhaps she never saw the dark in him, and then it was too late. 

“I’m so sorry,” Rey said softly and Padme met her gaze and simply nodded in acknowledgement. Before Rey could stop herself, before she even really registered forming the words, she asked in a rushed, breathless voice that broke slightly in her panic, “How do I know he won’t go back? What if we bring out the dark in each other? What if he dies because of me again?” And by the time she finished her last question her voice squeaked and she realized she was choking back sobs, eyes blurred with tears and hands clenched at her sides, knuckles going white. 

Padme was quick with her comforting embrace, sweeping over to Rey and enfolding her in the voluminous silken sleeves of her gown. One hand cradled the back of Rey’s head and the other stroked her back as she folded her to her breast. It was the sort of hug a mother would give a daughter, and Rey cried harder at the realization.

Rey wasn’t sure how long they stood like that, Padme gently rocking her in their embrace, but finally the tears ebbed enough and Rey pulled away to see Padme’s face. It was that same soft smile back again. 

“My dear,” she began, a laugh flickering at the corner of her mouth. Rey’s heart gave a tug. It reminded her of Ben’s smile. “You can’t know what will happen. All you can do is be honest with each other. Talk with him, laugh with him, love him for who he is. If he can do the same with you, you’ll both be able to get through the hardships together.” 

Rey wiped her eyes and nodded. Although it scared the hell out of her, she felt her resolve forming as her jaw set and her brow furrowed in determination. She may not know a thing about relationships, but she knew she wanted to try with Ben. Her heart tugged at the thought of him and her pulse quickened.

***

“That laser-brained stupa,” Poe ground out while plugging in the coordinates to return to Coruscant. They were now safely in the hyperlane after making a rather harrowing escape from Bespin which had resulted in the loss of Poe’s favorite jacket, a glancing blow from a blaster to Lando’s right bicep, and Chewie limping heavily and roaring in pain in his bunk. 

Lando simply shook his head in response to Poe’s grumblings as he sat heavily in the co-pilot seat, ensuring his bandage was firmly in place. “Say what you will about Ben Solo, but at least he gave us a useful contact,” he stated bluntly, kicking his feet up onto the control panel casually and crossing his arms over his chest before leaning back in his seat, “You’ve gotta admit, Haniff is going to be a great addition to the council.” 

After the crew’s blaster battle at the bar with the Regulation Board, they had managed to get out of the scrap and finally met up with one of Lando’s contacts who knew where to find Bryamay Haniff, the dubious trader Ben had told them about that knew all the right people. He wasn’t wrong. She was tough and deadly but saw the benefit of joining the Alliance to bring about a better democratic system than the lawless wildness that had taken over Bespin after the demise of the First Order. Lando loved her spunk immediately, and although Poe didn’t want to admit it, he admired the way she handled her blaster and how her crew respected her.

The meeting didn’t stay peaceful for long however, as the Regulation Board got wind of their visit and the purpose behind it and came knocking down the door to have it out. Fortunately, Haniff was able to offer them some coverage and promised to meet them in Coruscant in a standard week’s time after she secured a trustworthy crew and settled her affairs on Bespin. Despite her assistance, it was still a haggard escape, leaving Poe, Lando, and Chewie a bit worse for wear. 

“Yea, yea,” Poe grunted, not fully willing to give the former Supreme Leader any sort of acknowledgement. He stopped what he was doing in mid-flight adjustment though when something Lando said finally clicked with him. “I’m sorry. Did you call him Ben Solo?” Lando gave him a sideways look as Poe’s mouth fully dropped open into a horrified gaping stare. “As in Leia’s son?” he squeaked out as he whipped his head to face Lando.

Lando merely brushed some dirt from his cape nonchalantly before meeting Poe’s stare, “Of course.” 

Poe didn’t allow Lando’s calm demeanor to interrupt his mild panic attack at this new information, “But she...she never told me! And-” but Lando cut him off with a derisive chuckle. 

“Of course she didn’t tell you, flyboy. You’re still growing out of your trigger-happy renegade phase.” 

Poe spluttered, affronted. “Excuse m-” 

“You’re not a parent, Poe. You don’t know what it’s like to lose a child,” all his swagger was gone in an instant and his face hardened into a mask, replacing the carefree charming smile. Poe looked to Lando and gave his arm a comforting squeeze. He had never really talked to Lando about Janna. He knew better than to bring it up. 

The silence that fell between them at Lando’s admonishment was brief though as Lando seemed to shake himself clear of the horrors that lay in his past. After all, what had happened to Janna wasn’t Poe’s fault. 

Lando cleared his throat resolutely and continued, “I’ve known Ben Solo since he was a child. And yes, he is Han and Leia’s son. He has a complicated past I won’t pretend to understand but Leia told me enough before she passed for me to grasp how he became what he did.”

Poe stood transfixed, looking very unsure about how anyone raised by Leia Organa and Han Solo could become Snoke’s henchman and the Supreme Leader of the First Order. Lando nodded, bemused, recalling a time in his naive youth he would have struggled to grasp this concept as well. 

He carried on, “Snoke was calling to him from boyhood. A perpetual voice in his head. Leia didn’t know the extent of it, but she knew that much.” Lando shook his head, his face going solemn once again, “I don’t know about you but having voices in your head since you were a kid might just mess up how you perceive the world.” He stood to go check on Chewie, but as he turned to go he added one final thought for Poe to sit on, “What I do know is that Leia’s deepest desire was to have her son back and she never stopped believing in the goodness of his heart.” 

With that, Lando retreated to the back of the Falcon and Poe returned to tinkering with the Falcon’s controls, a puzzled and thoughtful expression clouding his handsome features.

***

Rose was in her element in the Alliance Headquarters main control room, managing the comms they had been receiving from all over the galaxy. After the Chiss signed on to the Alliance, a lot of attention had turned toward them. The Chiss were a major power. People had vied for a diplomatic relationship with the Chiss since Palpatine had been at the peak of his rule, but they were always incredibly elusive. 

As she puzzled through the massive amount of comms and organized them by region, urgency, and stakeholder credibility, Finn entered the room in a huff, arms tightly crossed over his chest and a deep scowl etched into his face. Rose didn’t even glance up at him. He’d been like this for hours after she had told him about Kylo Ren’s helpful contact on Bespin. She didn’t have time to placate the oncoming tantrum she knew was brewing. 

Finn paced back and forth several times before stopping in front of her workstation giving her an incredulous look that begged to be seen. Rose sighed deeply, coming to a stopping point in her sorting, “Yes?” she asked with mounting impatience, irritation creeping into her tone. 

Finn’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I’m sorry I’m not totally fine with the kriffing former Supreme Leader suddenly giving us helpful information. He only tried to kill my best friend a dozen times,” his voice dripped with disdain and ill-concealed anger. They had had this conversation at least three times already and so Rose didn’t feel bad when she gave him a small cuff to the back of his head in exasperation. 

“Finn, we’ve gone over this,” Rose said slowly with exaggerated patience as if speaking to a youngling, “We don’t know the circumstances of this information exchange, we don’t know what all happened on Bespin, nor do we have any idea what happened to Kylo Ren after Exegol or for that matter, what he was up to before Exegol. All we know is that Poe and Lando thought the information was valid, went to meet with the contact, and that she is a viable delegate for the Alliance,” she summed up matter-of-factly. “We can ask more questions when they get back as they should be arriving shortly. Anything further would be speculation on our part.”

Finn guffawed loudly at this, “How are you the calm one about this?” He burst out in passionate disbelief, “You’re always up in arms about First Order sympathizers and your hatred of them and he is essentially the top of the chain here and you’re fine with it?” 

She merely smirked at him before dipping her head to return to work as she gave an infuriating blasé reply, “Perhaps those diplomacy lessons are finally sinking in.” Although truly, she felt as though she needed to live by her own words she had said to Finn what felt like lightyears ago. Not fighting what they hate, but saving what they love. 

Before Finn could further lose his temper, gesticulate erratically, or splutter any more diatribes, Commander Connix burst into the room, out of breath, hair askew, and baring a horrified expression, “General, Vice Admiral Tico, we’ve got a major problem in the lower levels of the city.” 

Rose and Finn both braced themselves, looking at Connix expectantly. She swallowed heavily, averting her eyes from theirs momentarily as she seemed to steady herself. 

“It seems several of the major crime families operating in the underworld have banded together and are planning an attack on Headquarters tonight.” Finn and Rose both shifted their gazes from Connix to each other and Rose nodded. Finn turned to follow Connix from the room, already discussing preparations with her on strategies to intervene, dismantle, and counter-attack should the situation escalate. 

Rose exhaled loudly and turned to the control panel again, carefully sorting through the comm links to the one she needed. She had no choice but to contact her and get back here as quickly as possible. Sorry Rey, she thought morosely. We need you.

***

The twin suns of Tatooine had been down well over a standard hour when he arrived. It was a clear night and starlight flooded the sands of the desert and the moons just barely peeked over the horizon. He brought the small freighter in to land beside Luke’s old X-wing and he couldn’t help as a small grimace marred his face at the thought of his old master. He sighed. He needed to let his hate and his old grudges die. He had once told Rey to let the past die, but he found the words much harder to live by. 

Ben descended from the freighter, slowly approaching the old Skywalker Moisture Farm, attempting to meditate as he took in the windblown walls of the farm, smooth from sand blasts and time. His breath caught as he saw a figure emerge from the steps leading to the dwelling below, her hair in its trademark triple buns, and a gray shawl slung over her shoulders in the cooling desert night air. She was in silhouette with the lights from the house behind her and he could not see her expression. 

In a flash, he saw the shawl fall from her shoulders as she sprinted to him, throwing her arms around his neck as he caught her in a crushing embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck. She smelled of herbs, wind, and a hint of sweat. He pulled her tighter to him if that was even possible. Unable or unwilling to allow a breath between them, his body flush against hers, his heart thrumming painfully in his chest as the bond hummed between and around them. 

Finally, her palms pushed at his chest only slightly so she could see him. Hazel met his deep brown eyes. Her hands came up to cup his face as her eyes searched his and he saw they were glassy with tears once again. “I didn’t know if you were still coming,” Rey burst out in a broken whisper, her hands tracing every line of his face as if she wanted to memorize it just in case. 

He didn’t know he had tears on his face until her thumb brushed the wet trail away with her delicate touch. “Wild rathtars couldn’t keep me away,” he said shortly, his hand coming to the base of her neck before sweeping her into a searing kiss. It was nothing like the kiss they shared through the Force. It was fierce and demanding, his lips claimed hers as he teased her lower lip with his teeth causing her to gasp in pleasure. 

Rey gave as good as she got, her hands tangling in his hair as she pulled him in further, tracing her tongue along the seam of his lips, commanding in her touch. He parted his lips and she was upon him, relentless in her exploration with tongue and teeth, kissing him with a ferocity that took his breath away. His hands found her hips as he pulled her flush to him, his groin quivering with anticipation and tension. He was half hard already and he regretfully pulled away, both of them panting for breath as he rested his forehead on hers. 

He gulped audibly before taking a shaky breath and saying, “Why don’t we go inside? There’s a lot we still need to discuss.” And although Rey felt like pouting at the loss of his lips, she nodded, smiling warmly, more than a little relieved that this time her wait had not been in vain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me a longer time to write as I think we’re now really getting into the meat of the plot. And also the development of relationships and characters. They are all broken but are doing their best to heal! And I hear you saying, Megan, why is this an explicit story? Where’s the D? Hey, I gave you more action and now they’re PHYSICALLY in the same space. What will happen next chapter? *spoiler alert* Things will be getting explicit :)
> 
> Also, Ben’s backstory is coming to light with the new squad, and what in the heck is happening on Coruscant?! Just when you think inter-galactic peace is possible, you have to deal with a capital uprising. 
> 
> As always, let me know your thoughts, feelings, general comments. Until next chapter!
> 
> References:
> 
> [Coruscant Underworld](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Coruscant_underworld)
> 
> [Tatooine](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tatooine)
> 
> [Rose's rank](https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/star-wars-rise-skywalker-character-descriptions-reveal-rose-ticos-big-promotion/) (Full disclosure, I chose her rank but it was informed by my knowledge of other officers rankings and her role in Rise of Skywalker)
> 
> [Star Wars Insults](https://www.liveabout.com/star-wars-insults-and-expletives-2958001) (aka Poe’s first line)
> 
> [Rathtar](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Rathtar)


	7. Connections

CHAPTER SEVEN: Connections

He really needed Poe for this, Finn thought desperately as the former Rebellion Officers-turned Galactic Alliance military advisors circled around him. The room was quiet as every expectant eye was fixed on Finn, waiting for him to dispatch orders. Kriff. Here goes nothing.

He pulled up the holomap of the Galactic Alliance headquarters and began pointing out entryways. “We’ll need coverage here, here and here,” he stated in what he hoped was a firm and commanding tone. “What’s our current security detail at each entry?” he fired to one of the lower ranking officers in charge of Headquarters security. 

She looked frazzled at being addressed by the General, but managed to recover herself quickly, “Ten guards at each entrance, sir.” 

Finn shook his head, his lips pursed together, “We’ll need to double that at least. Maybe triple. Where are we at with Stormtrooper rehabilitation? Do you think any of them would be willing or able to redeploy on our side to protect Headquarters?” 

Jannah looked torn as Finn’s eyes met hers. Stormtrooper rehabilitation had been her pet project after the Battle of Exegol, and she had worked tirelessly reaching out to former Stormtroopers who had been ripped from their families and conditioned into blaster-wielding killing machines. She had recruited over a thousand former Stormtroopers to the rehabilitation program, working on therapeutic strategies and exercises to shift the manipulative conditioning they had all undergone. She looked away from him and winced as she answered, “Maybe fifty?” 

Finn had never been good at his Sabacc face and his horror and disbelief was clearly etched on his face. “Fifty?” he asked weakly. Janna looked heartbroken by his reaction, so he attempted to pull himself together, shaking his head. “Alright, well debrief them and get them at as many entrances as we can. Connix, we’ll need to utilize the fighters we currently have here in house as well. As many as we can spare.” 

Jannah and Connix both left the room quickly to fulfill their orders, although neither of them looked remotely hopeful about what she had been tasked with. 

“Zorii, I need intel. Take who you need and find out what families we’re dealing with, how many allies they have, and any information about the assault you can gather.” Zorii had been tucked into a far corner of the debriefing room and pointed to three other people around the table and motioned for them to join her as she quickly disembarked from the room without a word. 

Although Finn felt perpetually awkward around Zorii, he knew she was up to the task and was grateful she had stuck around for the formation of the Alliance. He needed her help on this one. 

“Everyone else, return to your stations and ensure you are prepared for battle. Security precautions must be in place to maintain our hold of the Headquarters. Shore up our defenses and prepare for a long night. Dismissed.” With that final word, everyone else scattered in order to follow Finn’s orders. Now he had to find Rose. Where the hell was she anyways?

***

Rose frantically hustled back and forth as the pings of new comms came in. Several from the Mid-Rim, multiple from surrounding worlds close by, and one from the Outer Rim were already in her queue waiting to be sorted through. She was attempting to manage all of the reports going in and out of the capital and keep all of the Alliance’s new delegations in the dark on the brewing attack. 

Her brow perspired and her tongue poked out in concentration. She didn’t know how long she could keep this up, but if the delegates found out there was a brewing civil war on Coruscant they would all pull their support of the Alliance and the new galactic government would be dead before it even began. 

As she sifted through the comms, a familiar line patched through with a live feed. “Headquarters, this is the General Dameron with the Falcon. We’re approaching the Coruscant atmosphere and will land shortly.” 

Rose breathed a sigh of relief, reaching for her comm to respond. “I can’t tell you how happy we are to have you laser-brained fly-boys back. And just in the nick of time.”

There was a brief pause before Poe dead-panned, “Are we fighting for the galaxy again?” 

Rose shook her head, a chagrined smile creeping onto her face. “The planet, democratic order, freedom…. And yes. The galaxy.”

***

Rey watched as Ben took in the surroundings of his family’s Moisture Farm, which Rey had begun to think of as her temporary home. Nothing felt permanent anymore, or perhaps she had always felt this way. 

He ran his hand along the counters and walls, his eyes unfocused and far-off. She could tell he was somewhere else entirely, in his head, but she didn’t dare look into his thoughts. Although the curiosity of not knowing what he was thinking drove her mad, she would not invade his thoughts without his consent ever again. Rey remembered what it felt like to have your mind wrung dry and every vulnerability bared. She would put in the time with him, the time they had been robbed of when he was taken from her too soon. 

Finally, he approached the sparse kitchen table in the middle of the room and sat heavily in the chair looking far wearier than he had only moments before. She sat beside him and reached for his hand. At the contact, he seemed to marginally come back to himself, his eyes looking less haunted as they focused in on her and the corner of his mouth twitched up. It wasn’t quite a smile, but it was a start. 

Ben looked down at their intertwined hands and rubbed a thumb over Rey’s knuckles, sending a jolt of heat and desire through her limbs and into her core. She wanted to suspend this moment of delicious connection for as long as possible, but she knew she couldn’t allow this to go on without offering Ben some answers. She needed to explain herself, and now was the time. Rey pulled her hand free from his so she could focus without distraction. 

“What happened before Exegol? What brought Ben Solo back?” She recalled the man she healed atop the decrepit Death Star, and how she had told him even then she wanted to take his hand. Despite lightsaber fights and their opposing sides, she knew that their connection was too strong, too real to keep fighting. 

There was a pause between them. Ben had been staring resolutely at the kitchen table, but now his eyes shifted to meet hers and he took a deep breath before stating simply, “You.” Another silence fell between them as Rey scrambled to put her thoughts together and respond. However, she didn’t get the chance as he continued on after a long exhale, “And my parents.” 

He scrubbed his hands down his face, distraught but determined, “I felt my mother’s energy leave the galaxy. And it felt like every star in the galaxy blinked out and I was left in sea of darkness. I resented her. I blamed her for so many things in my childhood. I had often felt so scared and alone and then she sent me away.” He tried to keep the quiver from his voice and stop the trembling of his lower lip, and Rey could not withdraw anymore. She reached for his hand and the Force sang once again at their connection. He gulped but seemed strengthened by her as he stared at their entwined hands as he carried on. 

“After her Force signature left, however, it was as if part of me died along with her. The blow was incredible. And I hadn’t realized until that moment that all I wanted was to look at her again and tell her how sorry I was. About Snoke. About dad. About everything. She had felt so unreachable for so long, but then she was truly gone and I wasn’t ready to let go.”

Rey scooted her chair closer and pulled him to her. He broke. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and she felt the warmth of his tears on her bare skin. Her fingers threaded up and down his spine as she made shushing noises and allowed him to finally feel his grief. 

When he quieted in her arms, she took a deep breath to fortify her before broaching her next question, “Is that why you were so angry with me? You felt like I had abandoned you? It reminded you of your parents.” He kept his face buried in her neck like a child would, clinging to her as if his life depended on it before he gave a jerky nod. “Oh Ben,” Rey soothed, running her fingers through his hair, stroking and caressing him assuredly, “I’m so sorry.” 

She allowed silence to fall between them once again, soothingly stroking his back every so often. Finally she ventured aloud, “I felt so alone growing up too. Discarded. Cast aside. But I never stopped believing they would come back. That was the most painful part of it all--the waiting.”

Ben had pulled back from her, no longer visibly upset, so he could look at her fully. Rey felt blank, devoid of emotion. Unlike her usual, fiery self, flushed with passion and feeling. He pulled her into the chair with him and the gesture was so familiar and sweet that she melted into his side, curling into him.

“When you were angry at me. I wasn’t sure you were still coming. That wait felt longer than all my time on Jakku,” she said it simply, but his face fell at her confession. He gripped her tightly and attempted to respond when she cut in, “No. You had every right to be mad. You felt like I was one more person who had given up on you and written you off, but it was my own weakness that kept me from talking about you. Admitting what we had together felt like opening an old wound again and it was too painful.” 

She looked at him fully, tears glimmering in her eyes, “I’ve never had someone like you. And it was so quick, that moment we had together, it hadn’t even felt real. But I knew the loss of it was. The ache that was like nothing that had come before.” She shook her head, a haunted and unsettling upturning of her lips that was more grimace than smile took over her face, “I didn’t know my parents. Their loss was so long ago, I did feel it deeply, but it was nothing to knowing I could have had you and let my own fault, my own fear, take away from me what I wanted for so long.” 

“Rey,” Ben said gruffly, his voice choked with emotion. Tears were on her face now and Ben swiped at them with his large, warm hands, and Rey grasped one of his hands in her own, stopping his fussy movements. She managed a watery smile of relief. “But you’re here. You came. And no matter what else comes our way, I know that I belong with you. We belong together.”

They talked for a long time about everything and nothing at all. Not only did they talk about their fears and troubled pasts, but they shared stories of their childhood, funny anecdotes, and silly adventures. Ben told Rey about a particularly thrilling exploit with his father that involved some smuggled, may have been previously stolen, Imperial ship parts that had resulted in an intensely adrenaline-fueled escape from Hutt Space followed by such a scolding from his mother, Han Solo didn’t fly for months after the debacle. Rey countered with her own story of some tinkered upgrades she had done with a variety of ship parts she turned in to Unkar Plutt, which only looked the part but didn’t function. She had swindled him out of 5 portions and he was none the wiser of her deceit. 

The two talked for hours and experienced both laughter and tears. The emotions were raw and real as they were finally able to talk without being interrupted by force connections, by power struggles, demons from their pasts, or their own egos. They were just able to be Ben and Rey. Two people, connecting as they tried to build something together. 

Rey had remained in Ben’s lap over the course of their conversation, her arms wrapped around him in a tight hold and her head resting on his shoulder. His arms had likewise enveloped her, both unwilling or unable to allow for any more space to come between them in these tender moments. 

“I’ve never really told anyone all of that,” Rey stated quietly after several minutes of comfortable silence had passed between them. Ben turned his head to see her clearly as he cupped her cheek fondly. 

“Neither have I.” 

Rey felt her heart bloom at his words. A soft smile unfurled from her lips as she snaked her hand to the base of his neck, drawing him into her once more. She took her time as she allowed her lips to graze across his in a painstakingly teasing manner, nudging his nose with hers playfully. Ben’s face split into a roguish grin as he pulled her to him, deepening the kiss further, separating her lips to suck her lower lip into his mouth and graze his teeth along it, teasing the pink flesh before softening the bruising kiss with a stroke of his tongue. 

In a heartbeat, Rey had repositioned herself for easier access, straddling him in his seat as he growled in response. She could feel his erection pressing into her core and fought the mad desire to wiggle and press against it. Instead, she allowed her hands to roam over his chest, through the thin fabric of his long-sleeved dark shirt. Rey felt the well-toned muscles of his chest and stomach and squirmed a bit as her own desire pulsed in her core, making her body flush a delicate shade of pink.

Ben pulled at the hem of her tunic skimming just below it so that his fingers danced across the naked flesh of her stomach. Rey broke away from Ben’s lips as she delicately kissed her way down the shell of his ear before finding a pulse point just where his ear and neck met. She teased the flesh with her tongue before nipping at it and suckling the soft skin there. Ben let out a gasp as he squeezed her thighs and shifted her over his erection, causing both of them to moan. 

“Bed?” Ben ground out, and Rey saw the want in his eyes, pupils blown wide with desire. She was sure it was mirrored in her own expression as she tried to get her erratic breathing in check before she nodded resolutely. Instead of waiting for her to slide off of him though, Ben hoisted her up, his hands just below her ass, and he carried her, still straddling him from the room. Rey couldn’t help a giggle escape from her as she wound her arms tighter around his neck, pulling him in for another deliciously teasing kiss.

He growled again as he stopped on his way to the bedroom, Ben pressing Rey’s back up against the wall, her legs wrapped firmly around his waist, as he ground his pelvis into her and she gasped breathily, “Ben!” His hand pawed at her breast but there were still too many clothes and fabric between them as he growled, once again carrying her to the master bedroom.

It was larger than Luke’s old bunk that Rey had been occupying and Rey was grateful for that as Ben was quite large, both tall and fit, she didn’t think they would have fit on the small bunk in Luke’s room. Ben paused after depositing Rey on the bed, looking rather shy and uncertain all of a sudden. The expression caught Rey by surprise. He was breathing heavily, perched over her as he asked seriously, “Are you sure about this?” 

His hair was a disarrayed mess, and his lips were pink and swollen from her kisses. Her heart constricted at the sight, so thankful for this moment and that he came back to her. She smiled coquettishly at him and nodded in affirmation. However, before he could descend upon her she pressed her hand to his chest and he immediately stilled, his eyes searching hers. 

“I just-” she started, not quite sure how to finish the thought. She cleared her throat, looking away. “I’ve never…” And Ben’s hand was at her cheek, and he turned her head so she was looking at him again. Staring into the depths of his eyes. His expression was solemn but soft, crinkles around his eyes, softening the sharp angles of his face. 

“I haven’t either.” The Force hummed between them as Ben descended onto her lips once more, soft and gentle. Ben was just reaching for the utility belt Rey wore when a series of beeps broke the tension of the moment and R2 came rolling in. Ben was alarmed as he had no idea the droid was even here, and Rey let out an aggravated sigh. 

“What is it R2?” she ground out impatiently, Ben still poised overtop her, clearly unsure how to proceed. R2 panned his astromech head from Ben to Rey, before slowly rolling backward from the room. “R2!” Rey exclaimed shortly and the droid stopped in his tracks. “Just tell me what it is.” And R2 let out a string of rapid stacco beeps as he shuffled from side to side in what could only be agitation. Ben begrudgingly vacated his place over Rey, instead coming to sit beside her on the bed as they both listened. 

Rey sighed heavily again and nodded for R2 to play the comm. How Rose had been able to get a long range comm device to work with R2’s outdated system she would never know, but her friend was something of an engineering genius so she didn’t doubt it was within her abilities. Ben simply looked stunned and somewhat impressed by this bit of ingenuity but remained silent as R2 pulled up the comm. 

“Rey,” Rose’s voice filled the room. She sounded troubled, panicked even. Rey scooted to the edge of the bed, feeling suddenly anxious. “I know you left to get some space or clear your head or whatever, but I need you to come back.” There was definite panic in her voice and a desperation Rey hadn’t heard from her friend before. “You know I wouldn’t ask unless we really needed you, I’ve held Finn at bay for you and he doesn’t know about this comm I have set up. But listen,” Rey looked at Ben to see his reaction to all of this but his face was an inscrutable mask. “The Coruscanti Underworld has had an uprising. The city is about to go into civil war. Crime families have banded together in order to destroy the Alliance we’ve been working so hard to put together. They’re planning on attacking Headquarters tonight. Please come. We need you!” And her transmission abruptly cut off. 

Rey struggled to recover, her mouth hung open in shock. She looked to Ben again and found him fixing her with a firm, hard glare. He grabbed her arm and gave it a gentle squeeze before saying resolutely, “Go to them.” 

She didn’t know what she had been expecting from him, but that was not it. She stood from the bed and he was already looking away, attempting to hide behind his expressionless mask again. But she would not let him, not now that she had just got him back. 

Rey held out her hand to him. “Come with me.” 

And although he looked uncertain and perhaps even a bit fearful, he took Rey’s proffered hand and the two prepared to depart for Coruscant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright. So I admit it. I am mean and evil. I blame Rey and Ben for this entirely. They are angst-y trauma-based babies that need time to unpack their shit before they jump into bed together. I really want them to have something and be connected emotionally before we get to the boning. So there’s that. Sorry not sorry. 
> 
> And hey, we’re gonna reunite the whole crew. How do we all feel about that? Some shit is probably going to hit the fan at this fun reunion but let’s see shall we? Oh and yes I played with the canon a bit to allow Rose to be brilliant as hell and enable R2 with a long range comm device. In my headcanon Rose is an absolute genius and has done some pretty canonically impossible things so it didn’t feel like too much of a stretch for me. 
> 
> As always, comments, kudos, and bookmarks fuel my soul and my writing. The more feedback I get, the quicker my little fingers move across my keyboard. I am officially on maternity leave now as well and am over 40 weeks pregnant, so be patient if I take a bit longer to post the next installment. My little one should be arriving any day now, but I am still committed to this fic and have the next several chapters outlined. I am a glutton for feedback, so help a girl out while I'm in birth recovery :)
> 
> References for this chapter:
> 
> [Sabacc](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sabacc%E2%80%9D>Sabacc</a>%0A%0A%20<a%20href=)
> 
> [Zorii Bliss](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Zorii_Bliss)
> 
> [Communication Devices of Star Wars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_in_Star_Wars#Radios_and_other_communications_devices%E2%80%9D>Communication%20devices%20of%20Star%20Wars</a>%0A%0A%20<a%20href=)
> 
> [R2-D2](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/R2-D2)
> 
> [Jannah](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jannah%E2%80%9D>Jannah</a>%0A%0A%20<a%20href=)
> 
> [Smuggler](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Smuggler/Legends)
> 
> [Hutt Space](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Hutt_Space%E2%80%9D>Hutt%20Space</a>%0A%0A%20<a%20href=)
> 
> [Scavenger](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Scavenger)


	8. Building Tension

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all. I'm so sorry it's been light years since I have posted. I had a baby. I went back to work. I got a new job. It's been a helluva pandemic and being a new parent. Sigh. Forgive me? I have the next three chapters completely done. Working on chapter twelve now. Send comments my way to fuel my writing! Hoping to post once a month at this point. Thanks team. You all motivate me to carry on! 
> 
> Now for this chapter: POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: There is a moment in this chapter where Ben gets angry and Rey gets scared by this reaction. Giving everyone a quick notice of this as I’m sure it could potentially be triggering for those who have experienced abusive relationships or domestic violence. 
> 
> To be clear, there is nothing violent in their interaction with each other, but Ben used to throw lightsaber tantrums, and so I am trying to get at his recovery from his anger using real life coping strategies (like you’ll see in this chapter). If you want to avoid this part, the paragraph starts “He stood quickly and didn’t make it far” and is a 2 paragraph section that you could easily skip over. It ends with “Rey was there.” Check below for more author’s comments on this chapter at the end.

Poe was born for battle. He was always ready to throw down in a scrap, take the lead of a squadron, rattle off battle plans and flight attack patterns. What he wasn’t used to was taking the backseat. They had landed on Coruscant about a standard hour ago and he was still waiting to talk to Finn and get debriefed on the battle planning. Finn had his debrief with the troops and Poe had missed it, he was getting more anxious and high strung as the minutes crept on longer and longer.

Finally, Finn entered the hangar doors looking a bit haggard but no worse for wear as he threw his arms around Poe, giving him an all-engulfing bear hug. Poe sank into the hug, allowing a brief pause as he relished in Finn’s comforting embrace before getting on to the pressing business of saving the galaxy. 

Poe stepped back from Finn before firing off a plethora of questions in the span of one breath. “What’s happening? Rose told me you held a debriefing but couldn’t tell me what you wanted me to do. Are you engaging in an airstrike? Do you know who we’re up against? Who’s doing re-con?”

Finn shook his head decisively, placing both his hands on Poe’s shoulders, squaring off with him. “Poe,” he began, his tone slow and firm, and Poe had to wonder when Finn got so grounded and thoughtful, “We’re not launching a counter attack at this time. I’ve got fighters on standby, but we don’t have enough intel to send people out on combat. We’re prepping our defenses and ensuring our hold on Headquarters. We can’t risk civilian injury in open warfare with a faceless target. And we can’t jeopardize the viability of the Alliance. If our partners find out about this uprising, we can kiss the Alliance goodbye. They’ll cry political instability and unrest and we’ll be dead before we’ve even taken our first steps as a governing body.” 

Poe didn’t know how to respond to this and his mouth hung agape as he tried to collect himself, “So… where do we go from here? What can I do?” Poe couldn’t quite help the small whine at the end of his question. He hated feeling useless. 

Finn seemed to pick up on his discomfort as he leveled a pitying gaze on him, “I need you to help me manage the defenses we’ve established and come up with a plan to squash this uprising before it gets going.” Poe spluttered incoherently in response to this declaration. No fighting? Strategizing to avoid a fight? Those weren’t necessarily skills in his wheelhouse. He was speechless for the first time in his life, unsure how to respond. 

Finn moved his hand to cup Poe’s cheek, an intimate and sentimental gesture that caught Poe by surprise, his previously unfocused and lost expression coming to fix on Finn’s face, his heart beating fast. Poe didn’t know how to react, but before he could form a response Finn’s hand had retreated and he said, “I still need you, buddy.” 

And despite the warm sentiment behind the words and the look of reassurance in his eyes, Poe felt disappointment. He wasn’t sure if it was the loss of Finn’s warm touch on his face or the traitorous pronunciation of that hideous misnomer, buddy. But he plastered a half-hearted smile on his face and allowed himself to nod. “Of course, Finn. You know I’m with you, all the way.” 

***

Lando checked in with Jannah right after making planetfall. It was always his first stop after being off-world. Although she was rattled by the attack and having to place such newly reformed Stormtroopers back in the field for guard service, she was managing the transition well and had her father’s knack for quick strategic thinking. Ultimately the reunion was too short, as Jannah had to get back to her preparations for defense. 

As Lando moved to depart, Jannah stopped him with a firm grip on his shoulder. “Dad,” the moniker still elicited an affectionate smile from him, “I think Rose could really use your help right now. She wasn’t at the debriefing and I think she’s attempting to do all of the Alliance damage control on her own. Keep everyone from finding out about this uprising.” The two shared a distressed look and Lando nodded resolutely as Jannah turned from him to return to her troops. 

After asking several passing officers scurrying about the Headquarters main floor, he finally found someone who barely broke stride to register his question before shouting over his shoulder that Vice Admiral Tico was holed up in the main control room. Lando needed no more information. He quickened his pace toward the control room, zigzagging through harried looking soldiers and commanders alike, pausing only briefly outside to catch his breath. 

Rose didn’t even spare him a glance as he entered, a cacophony of sound echoing distortedly off the rooms bare white walls, as Rose’s gaze flickered from screen to screen attempting to pinpoint the source of each comm as she listened to multiple reports. Lando noticed she had a sheen of sweat accumulating on her forward, her right eye was twitching, and the purple bags under her eyes were pouchy and darker than the last time he had laid eyes on her. Her hair frizzed in disarray and there was glazed over look to her eyes from staring at screens for too long. 

Lando strolled across the room, hitting one button to turn off all of the different comms. The echoing din of voices from across the galaxy came to a halt and left the room in a deafening silence. Rose’s head snapped up, a snarling glare was taking over her face when Lando raised both hands in defense.

“Rose,” he said with that charmingly winsome smile he was known for, “Jannah said you might need some help, so here I am. I heard you were trying to keep our delegates in the dark on this little rebellion all on your own.” Rose’s snarl diminished significantly at these words, a weary reluctance settled in its place. Lando waited a beat for her resolve to further settle before adding delicately, “And we both know I’m more charming.” 

Rose rolled her eyes, finally cracking a small smile at Lando’s cheek. “Alright, Calrissian. Get in here. Help me keep our Alliance from crumbling at the first sign of distress. Stars know I need some help managing this,” she settled into her seat and attempted to smooth her hair into place again. “We’ve had over a hundred comms in the last hour and some of them have heard about a potential uprising. We’ve got to squash it or assuage their fears before they pull their support from the council,” she was flat and matter-of-fact about what needed to be done, but Lando saw the fear in her eyes and the tremor in her hands. 

Lando patted her shoulder as he took a seat beside her at the control panel. “We’ve got our work cut out for us, Tico. Let’s take it one comm at a time.” They shared a brief hopeful smile before they both turned back to the screens in front of them and began the daunting workload. 

***

Rey and Ben quickly gathered supplies from around the Moisture Farm and Ben still had some supplies on the freighter he had arrived on. They had quickly determined they needed to take the freighter and leave the X-wing behind on Tatooine. It just wasn’t practical to take both ships and, in all honesty, neither were ready to be apart from the other so soon after their reunion. When they had finally gotten all of the supplies in order and R2 had rolled aboard, both Rey and Ben stood in the entrance of the ship, taking one final look at the Skywalker Farm.

Ben noticed Rey’s wistful expression, and although they were leaving to help her friends, he knew leaving something familiar was always hard for her. He gave her hand a squeeze, pulling her attention back to him. Rey’s far-off gaze diminished as she gave him one of her heartbreaking smiles full of emotion and hope. His heart constricted as he returned her smile, before stating resolutely, “Someday, you’ll have a permanent home. Somewhere surrounded by water and green as far as the eye can see. Somewhere that is as alive and as beautiful as you. It’s what you deserve.” He said it so simply and so firmly, Rey’s smile widened as she pulled him into a bone-crushing hug, her arms clinging around his neck, her face buried in his soft ebony locks. 

“Thank you,” she mumbled into his shoulder before pulling back from him. Ben was stumped by this response. 

“For what?” he asked. She smiled at him as she pulled him away from the ship’s door, pressing the button on the panel to close it behind them. 

She met his quizzical expression and actually laughed. It was a musical sound that Ben would never grow tired of. Laughter had been gone from his life for so long he drank it in when he was with her. “For giving me hope,” she said simply. She dropped his hand and moved into the cockpit. Ben allowed a surprised half-grin to creep onto his face as he followed her to the front of the ship. 

Rey sat in the pilot’s seat, plugging in coordinates for Headquarters on Coruscant and running diagnostics on the ship. Ben watched her work in silence as he took the co-pilot’s seat, her deft hands running over the controls and working methodically through the basic checks he had been familiar with ever since his father had taught him to fly when he was a small child. 

“How did you learn all of the mechanics of starships without ever leaving the planet?” he asked quietly. She paused briefly to look over her shoulder before continuing on with the checks, pressing several more buttons that let off a series of affirmatory beeps.

“Well, I was a scavenger. So rustling parts from all sorts of crashed ships from the Battle of Jakku was every day of my life. Scrapping and cleaning the best parts meant more portions of food... and the longer I was able to survive.” She still hadn’t answered Ben’s question though and he allowed the silence to draw out more, sensing that she had more to say. Rey paused in her checks again and turned to look at Ben. “Also, I was a kid. I was curious. I took broken down ships apart and put them together. I had my own collection of parts that wasn’t enough to trade for a portion of food. I saved them, hoarded them, took them apart, put them together with other parts. Tinkered until I understood how parts worked together, how the mechanisms functioned in order to fly. I predominantly built ground speeders, but I learned all about the larger ships that I had to scavenge for parts…” she trailed off, lost in the memories of the desert and the difficulties of the life she had known then. 

Ben nodded in understanding, but his eyes continued to blaze with a curiosity he couldn’t contain. “All on your own? No one taught you… anything?” he questioned in what he tried to convey as gentle but anger tinged his tone. How could no one help her? She was a child, stranded with no one. 

Rey offered up a wry smile before shaking her head and finished finalizing the checks before sitting heavily in the pilot’s seat. “Not really. Jakku was… tough. Desperate and lonely. You had to fend for yourself. I was lucky when someone passing through the junkyard would tolerate me long enough so that I could maybe ask a quick mechanical question here or there.” Her gaze was blank and distant and Ben felt his fist clenching of its own accord, his knuckles turning stark white. His mouth drew into a thin pale line as he clenched his jaw feeling as though every muscle was tensing in his body, waiting to spring into action. 

He stood quickly and didn’t make it far before his fist was jamming into a storage compartment along the wall. He let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding, gulping in air as he attempted to get himself under control again. Ben felt a gentle touch on his shoulder and he whipped around, wild eyed and panting. It was Rey of course. She jerked her hand away and her expression was tinged in fear despite her trying to look nonplussed by the whole interaction. 

Immediately, Ben’s rage was quelled and he was mortified, stumbling over his words with her. “Rey, I’m so sorry--I didn’t mean…” he spluttered out as he took a step toward her, reaching for her. She took an involuntary step back, the fear still lingered on her face. He withdrew immediately, looking like a kicked puppy. He hung his head in shame as he muttered, “I’ll just--” but before he could slink off and think all the self-deprecating thoughts as he shame-spiraled into another session of deep self-loathing, Rey was there.

She took his hand in hers as she gently turned him around so they were facing one another. Ben stood transfixed as he watched her take his other hand and place it over her chest so he could feel the steady beat of her heart through the hum of the Force that connected them. “Close your eyes and breathe with me,” she said patiently. To demonstrate she took a deep breath in and Ben felt her chest rise slowly under his palm before reaching the apex of her breath and letting it out slowly through her slightly parted mouth. Ben felt his eyes drift closed as he focused on her heartbeat and her breath. He allowed his own breath to mingle with hers and the Force sang again as a calm energy buzzed and hummed around them, engulfing them in waves of peace. 

After a few minutes of this, Rey allowed her hand to fall away from his as her eyes fluttered open. Ben’s hand dropped from her chest as well, falling back to his side limply as he looked at her curiously. “In all my years training as a Jedi with my uncle, I never found peace like that,” he said incredulously, “How did you do that? I’ve never felt so calm.” 

Rey shrugged before turning to walk back toward the pilot’s seat, looking over her shoulder to ensure he followed. When he stepped in line with her, she answered softly, “I learned how to calm my fears and quiet my mind a long time ago. Long before I did any training with Luke.” She sat back down in the pilot’s chair and waited for Ben to sit as well before continuing. “It’s how I survived Jakku.” And with that, she started the engines, finalized their destination coordinates, and Ben was left to ponder her last comment as they left Tatooine’s atmosphere and punched into hyperspace.

***

Finn had asked Poe to work with Jannah’s troops. If anyone could inspire newly reformed Stormtroopers, it was Poe Dameron, full to the brim with passion and belief in their cause. And so Poe had retreated to visit with Jannah and Finn was left by himself again to think over Headquarters’ defenses for the billionth time that night. There still hadn’t been an attack and the quiet was starting to worry him. Waiting had never been his strong suit. 

“General,” came a soft yet commanding voice from the doorway of his quarters. Finn almost got whiplash from his head turning around so quickly. 

“Zorii! How did you get in here? I didn’t even hear--” but he was cut off by her walking quickly across the room as she held her hand up for quiet. Finn’s mouth immediately snapped shut. Zorii swept through his rooms, checking the bare white counters and steel appliances, the stiff and functional furniture, and even looked in the heating/cooling vents along the floors. 

Finn allowed her to do all of this as he watched in silence, waiting for her to speak. He could read no expression from her as she wore her metal helm, obscuring all of her features but her movements were quick and agitated. 

Finally, her movements stilled but she still didn’t take the seat next to him, choosing to stand as her weight shifted uneasily from foot to foot. “I found who is at the heart of the uprising and it isn’t good.” Finn held his breath as he waited for her to go on. “We were thinking it was some of the old Coruscanti crime families. They’ve been destabilized over the years and have posed less and less of a threat to those operating outside of the Underworld. Or at least, that’s what we thought,” she paused to move the panel on her visor to allow Finn to see her eyes. And although this didn’t allow much expression to show through, Finn saw the worry in the pinched skin of her furrowed brow. She took a deep breath before plowing on, “It looks like the crime families have joined with three of the biggest and most notorious gangs in the galaxy: the Red Key Raiders, Kanjiklub, and the Black Sun. How they got those gangs to band together, I have no idea, but all the crime families have come together with the gangs and they have an impressive fighting force.” She shook her head and took a gulp. “I’ve never come across anything like this.” 

Finn shook his head, feeling like he’d just been punched in the gut. He rose to his feet slowly, his eyes rapidly scanning the floor, trying to process what Zorii had just unveiled. “I’ve got to go talk to Poe and Rose.” And without another word, he bolted from the room.

***

Ben and Rey had been flying for hours and after a rather embarrassing blowout game of sabacc (Rey doing a triumphant lap around the freighter and Ben trying his best not to pout), they had settled down into pilot and co-pilot chairs again, staring into the hyperspace blurred stars. They were only a couple hours away at this point and Ben was getting antsy. He triple checked Rey’s coordinates, ran a few extra diagnostics that didn’t really need to be performed. He paced the ship, looking for parts that needed extra tuning, extra cleaning, something. Finally, after almost a solid hour of this Rey left her post in the pilot’s chair trusting the auto-pilot function, and went to go and find him. 

He was angry-fixing. She found him at the end of a turret off one of the cargo bays checking that the Cuboid Cargo Freighter’s topside defenses were ready to go. He wore a concentrated scowl as he muttered to himself, sprawled amidst tools and the inner workings of the blaster cannon, carefully inspecting each part to ensure it was in working order, cleaning it, and setting it aside for reassembly. 

Rey leaned heavily against the doorway, watching him in silence for a moment before asking abruptly, “Ben... what exactly are you working on?” Ben didn’t look up from his work and seemed unphased by her casual demeanor. 

“Some of these cannons haven’t been cleaned in years apparently. We don’t know what we’ll be landing in and we’re in an old cargo freighter, so I wanted to ensure the cannons are in working order in case-” but he stopped abruptly as he had finally looked up to catch her bemused expression. She was biting her lip, her eyes wide, looking for all the world like she was going to burst into a peal of laughter at any moment. “What?” he huffed out incredulously, “I’m being prepared!” 

Rey had the decency to turn her sure-to-be laughing fit into a delicate cough as she went to sit beside him on the floor, pushing aside several tools and parts to get closer to him. “Well it seems to me like you’re feeling a little anxious and you want to keep busy,” she said softly, doing her best to gentle the blow of truth. 

He let out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding as he pulled himself up from the open panel and the area below deck he’d been working on. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows exposing the taut muscles of his forearms and Rey gulped as he dropped the tool he’d been holding. He swiped at his brow with the back of his hand, wiping off a trickle of sweat as he looked back at her. 

“Yeah,alright. I may be feeling a bit… tense,” he admitted begrudgingly, running his hands through his hair to displace some of his nerves. 

Rey gave a small half-smile of encouragement, before prodding him further by asking, “Why?” 

Ben turned to her fully then, sitting cross legged and squaring off with her so that they were fully face-to-face as he took a deep breath, searching for the words to explain himself. He was silent for some time, unsure how in the galaxy to say what he had to say, and then in a defeated rush, he said through his frustrated exhale, “Well, they all hate me, don’t they?” Whatever Rey had been expecting, it was clearly not this. Ben was worried about her friends’ acceptance of him? Rey stared back at him, trying to formulate a response but he plowed on, unable to stop himself now that he’d untapped the reserve of fear inside of him. 

“I just keep thinking about that cocky flyboy Dameron, Chewie, my dad’s best friend, and that narcissist, Calrissian. You should have seen the looks on their faces when they saw me on Bespin, Rey. I know I deserve it. I really do. But I don’t know how we’re going to get past it all. There’s so much history with Chewie and Calrissian, and Dameron worshipped the ground my mother walked on. Not to mention all the other rebels waiting for us at Alliance Headquarters,” he said all of this very quickly through the span of a breath and now he was winded, his eyes bright as his chest rose and fell rapidly. Rey scooted closer to him, reaching out to cup his face in her small palm. Instinctively his eyes drifted shut and his hand rose to hers, keeping it in place as he pressed his face further into her hand, revelling in her touch. 

Rey’s smile was bittersweet, quirked just at the edges, but failing to reach the corners of her eyes. She knew he was right. They had many obstacles in their way before all of this was said and done. But she trusted her friends and knew they were capable of forgiveness. She ran her thumb along his cheekbone before allowing her hand to fall from his face, and she moved to cradle their hands in her lap. 

“I know you’re scared,” and she felt his walls going up, defensiveness flashing across his features, so she carried on hastily. “I am too. But things are different this time. We’re not in it alone. We’ve got each other.” Any budding retort died on his lips as he nodded stiffly, stroking her knuckles with his thumb. 

She stood from the floor and offered him her hand, “Do you trust me?” she asked softly. 

Ben warmed significantly to that, the ghost of a smile just threatening to creep onto his face as he grabbed her hand so she could help him up. “I trust you,” he stated definitively in that deep baritone that made Rey’s toes curl. 

And as she pulled him up, she tugged a bit harder than necessary pulling him to her. He engulfed her easily in his arms, her head pillowed against his broad chest, his massive hands encircling her waist. They just held each other like that for some time, neither pulling away to look into the other’s face. Just held each other without an ounce of selfishness to it. Rey never thought she’d have someone care for her like this, someone she mattered to in this simplest and plainest of ways. 

Finally, Rey took a fraction of a step back, rocking up on her tiptoes so that she could kiss him. He held her gently in his arms, allowing her to take the lead, as she pressed her lips to his both soft and firm. She cradled the nape of his neck, drawing him closer to her, drinking him in, and he held her flush up against his body. She could feel the way his chest muscles constricted underneath her and how his arms tensed ever so slightly to hold her even closer to him, seemingly afraid of letting any further space slip between them. And in one fluid movement, he swept her up into his arms, cradling just below her knees, as her arms encircled his neck.

He carried her to the sleeping bay in the ship to one of the bunks before lying her gently on the small, narrow bed. He held her face in his hands as he kissed down the side of her face, peppering soft kisses down her cheek, to the column of her neck, before hesitating at her collarbone and sucking a soft bruise into the strong pulse point. She let out a gasp and he lifted his face away, a clear question in his expression: Is this alright? 

Eyes wide and mouth slightly open, she gulped audibly and nodded, pulling at the hem of his loose shirt gently. Ben got the hint and lifted his arms over his head so she could pull him free from the dark gray shirt and she couldn’t stop her eyes roving over his broad shoulders, to the muscled chest, down to the tapering of his waist. From his navel to the pants skimming below his hips, she noticed a trail of dark hair that disappeared beneath his clothing that made her ache with such longing, she pulled him possessively back to her and their mouths connected again, more insistently this time. 

Teeth clashing, sucking his lower lip into her mouth, Rey was commanding in her kisses. They broke away from each other, both gasping for oxygen, as Ben reached for her utility belt, unbuckling and removing it at lightning speed before allowing his hands to skim along the expanse of her waist and her stomach underneath her tan tunic. He hesitated again, pinning her with another questioning look: Are you sure? Her eyes were glazed over with desire at this point but she was still able to nod firmly trying her hardest not to shiver beneath his touch, craving more and more, desire pooling in the pit of her stomach as she felt a rush of heat and wetness in her core. 

Ben slowly moved to lift the fabric over her head, his knuckles skimming along her ribs as he pulled the fabric up and up until it was free from her body and he allowed it to fall haphazardly to the floor. She didn’t wear a breast band as she had never really needed one, and she was suddenly bared to him, exposed and vulnerable in a way that was unknown, thrilling, and delicious. His gaze fell to her chest as his mouth fell partially open, taking in the expanse of tanned exposed flesh of her torso. His hand seemed to rise of its own accord as he traced a line from her neck, down the side of her breast and coming to rest on her hip. His other hand had a mind of its own and went straight to the soft pink bud of her nipple, his calloused thumb rubbing gently across the tip which elicited a gasp of pleasure from Rey. 

He was tentative and gentle in his ministrations, seeming to study the contours of her body and learn what caused Rey to gasp, shutter, and moan. Finally, he pressed several of his fingers onto the growing heat between her legs, and even through the fabric of her pants, the pressure and sensation was extraordinary as she lifted her hips to rub against his fingers, panting his name, “Ben!” 

It was a longing request dripping with desire, and Ben knelt before her, his fingers working deftly at the clasp of her pants before he began to tug them down, Rey lifting her hips to help him take them off. She now lay before him, completely open and vulnerable, trying to look confident while feeling slightly awkward in her own skin. She had never been bare like this to someone before. 

To his credit, Ben looked like a starving man who had just found a feast to feed an army as his eyes drank in every inch of her body. His hands skated up her thighs, to her stomach, then her arms, and when he reached the base of her neck, he pulled her to him, kissing her softly and soundly before muttering against her lips, “You are so beautiful.” 

He then gently pushed her back so that she was lying on the bunk as he returned to his kneeling stance between her legs. He pressed gentle kisses along her inner thigh as his hand found the soft flesh of her sex. His thumb revolved around her clit until he hit his mark and she let out a deep moan, taken by surprise. He took note of that and set to a gentle rhythm of strokes and caresses to her clit, building her up before backing off and eliciting a whine of remorse from her.

Ben smiled and continued on, inserting a finger into her cunt causing Rey to hiss in pleasure. Ben couldn’t help remark, “You’re so wet,” and the hunger in his eyes was apparent. 

Rey could hardly articulate with intoxication of want so heavy upon her, but she was able to grunt out, “More.” Ben fully smiled at that, like a wolf about to devour his prey as he added another finger, thrusting in and out of her at a delicious pace. “Do the thing with your thumb again,” Rey ground out. And Ben dutifully began to pulse his thumb into her clit, building the pressure further. 

Rey wasn’t sure what noises she was making now, something between a burst of explicatives and crying for more when Ben removed his fingers and she almost sat up to protest when she felt his tongue encircling the nub of her as he lapped at her wetness. “Ben!” she cried out, grabbing the edges of the bunk for support, her nails digging into the softness of the bunk as she bit down on the corners of her mouth to keep from crying out further. 

He pushed his tongue further into her and returned his thumb to stroke faster and faster against her clit. Her body was flush with desire as she keened for release, “Yes, just like that. Ben! Oh stars-” and as his thumb pressed a new chorus of strokes into the bundle of nerves Rey felt her whole body tighten like the coil of a spring in one of the engines she’d taken apart. Every nerve ending on fire. And just like that, she felt the rush of her climax wash over her, sending her into a shuddering mess of muscle tremors as her toes curled and eyes rolled up into her head. 

Ben slowed his pace after that, allowing her to come down off her high as he gently withdrew from between her legs and came to lay beside her, pulling her into his side so that her head was once again pillowed on his chest. 

Rey sighed, “That was… amazing.” Ben simply held her, allowing the aftershocks of her orgasm to abate. 

“I’m glad you thought so,” Ben rumbled in that deep, delicious voice she loved. She clutched him a bit tighter, pressing a kiss to his temple. He turned his head to kiss her lips fully when a beeping from the cockpit caught their attention. Rey scurried to put her clothes back on as Ben pulled his shirt back over his head and they both begrudgingly went to check on what was happening. 

They had come out of the hyperlane and Rey checked their flight path as she looked over to Ben, unsure how he would take this news. “We’re scheduled to make planetfall in half an hour,” she stated directly, searching his eyes for his reaction. Ben simply nodded, staring out into space. She couldn’t read his expression and it seemed like he was doing his best to avoid openly reacting. 

“Well,” he said, taking a deep breath before turning to look at her, “Let’s see what we’ve gotten ourselves into.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, it’s spicing up y’all. Hope you liked Ben and Rey’s sweet little interlude there. I included some silly Easter Eggs from various things that we’ll see if anyone picks up on: Aladdin, Waitress, even slid in a New Girl reference. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed. Ben and Rey’s alone time is about to get rocked, but don’t you worry, there’s still plenty of opportunity for intimacy coming up. I’m thinking sex will happen around chapter 10. So I won’t keep you hanging too much longer. I do want their relationship to feel like a natural progression though and not simply them just jumping into bed together. But also, my forever headcanon is that my boy Ben loves going down on Rey. He just does. And he’s all about consent. :)
> 
> Also, it’s in the tags for this story but a quick reminder that the other ship in this is StormPilot. Finn and Poe will be getting together, so if you were thinking FinnRose, that is not going to happen. They have a brother/sister dynamic to me and that’s what I’ve been writing them as.
> 
> References for this chapter:
> 
> [Red Key Raiders](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Red_Key_Raiders%E2%80%9D>Red%20Key%20Raiders</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Kanjiklub](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kanjiklub)
> 
> [Black Sun](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Black_Sun%E2%80%9D>Black%20Sun</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Cargo-class Freighter](https://nomanssky.gamepedia.com/Starship_Catalogue_-_Freighter)


	9. Diplomacy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kind words and kudos friends. The comments fueled my typing fingers and here we are. Also, I've updated my Tumblr to include a ETA for chapter updates. Here is my Tumblr if you want to follow me: https://marauder23.tumblr.com/ and here is the update schedule direct link: https://marauder23.tumblr.com/updateschedule
> 
> Happy reading!

Recap: She clutched him a bit tighter, pressing a kiss to his temple. He turned his head to kiss her lips fully when a beeping from the cockpit caught their attention. Rey scurried to put her clothes back on as Ben pulled his shirt back over his head and they both begrudgingly went to check on what was happening. 

They had come out of the hyperlane and Rey checked their flight path as she looked over to Ben, unsure how he would take this news. “We’re scheduled to make planetfall in half an hour,” she stated directly, searching his eyes for his reaction. Ben simply nodded, staring out into space. She couldn’t read his expression and it seemed like he was doing his best to avoid openly reacting. 

“Well,” he said, taking a deep breath before turning to look at her, “Let’s see what we’ve gotten ourselves into.”

***

Ben took the freighter off of auto-pilot as they cruised into Coruscant’s atmosphere. The Coruscanti sky was still an inky black, dotted with the few stars visible amidst the glow and hum of city lights, however, a faint glowing line on the horizon indicated a sun threatening to rise. It was creeping closer to morning at this point and Rey took up their comm to give their ship’s identifying information and her pilot number to have clearance to land. 

Of all the times Ben had been to Coruscant, he couldn’t recall it ever being this quiet. The city felt muted and off although he couldn’t place why. He looked to Rey whose face echoed his own feelings, also troubled by the strange energy this place was giving off, like they were in the eye of a storm--the calm before the chaos. 

Ben pulled the ship into the hangar as Rey went to fetch R2 and both of them met at the ship’s entrance, ready to drop the ramp and exit. Rey shifted her gaze to Ben, standing by her side, and reached out taking his hand in hers. With one final squeeze of reassurance, Rey hit the button to drop the loading ramp for them to depart and they were met with a battalion of soldiers all aiming their blasters at them. Ben and Rey both put their hands up as they disembarked, however, R2 swiveled around the two leading the way with a series of indignant beeps. 

“Stand down! Stand down!” a familiar voice called over the troops who lowered their blasters in haste, as a tall woman with untamed frizzing curls emerged from the side of the hanger bay with a gold droid shuffling quickly behind her. 

“R2! Mistress Rey! It is lovely to see you both again,” C-3P0 spouted out in quick succession, as his orbital monitors took in the ship they arrived in as well as the man standing beside them both. “Young Master Solo! What a surprise. I have not seen you in--” but C-3P0 was abruptly cut off by Jannah. 

“Thank the stars it’s you. We’re on alert right now as Headquarters is still under threat of attack. They’ve made no moves at this point though,” Jannah stated bluntly and without any of the niceties typically observed in reunion meetings. Rey appreciated her being quick and to the point. Jannah paused only momentarily as her eyes drifted slowly over Ben before fixing again onto Rey. “You need to get up to the main control room. Finn, Poe, Rose, Lando, and Zorii are up there and they’ll want to speak to you right away.” 

Rey nodded, already matching pace with Jannah as she turned to lead her away from the hanger. “So they haven’t attacked at this point?” Rey questioned immediately. Ben hovered awkwardly a step behind the two women, unsure what his place was in all of this. Rey immediately read his hesitation and abruptly stopped mid-stride, Ben almost colliding into her. “Jannah,” she said with a note of determination so deeply ingrained in her voice that Jannah stopped walking immediately and looked to Rey with concern and confusion, “This is Ben Solo. I owe him my life. He arrived on Exegol during the battle and without him none of us would be standing here today. He’s here to help us again,” she said shortly, tightly clasping Ben’s arm in her own, her body slightly positioned in front of him as if she could shield his massive form with her small frame. 

Jannah couldn’t help but quirk a small smile at this. She knew who Ben Solo was. She had seen the Supreme Leader of the First Order without his mask on the top of the old Death Star ruins. Jannah had also spent the last several months working on the reformation and rehabilitation of former Stormtroopers. If there was one thing Jannah believed in above all else, it was giving people the opportunity of a second chance. 

She held out her hand to Ben whose eyes had gone rather wide at this exchange between the two women, but he recovered quickly enough to take her proffered hand and give a quick, rather perfunctory handshake. “It’s good to meet you Ben Solo. We’re glad to have your assistance,” Jannah said firmly, meeting his rather nervous gaze.

Rey smiled widely at Jannah, grateful that Ben’s first meeting with someone part of the new Alliance went so well. She found herself being swept up in hopeful thoughts that maybe this wouldn’t be as big a deal as they thought. 

“You’re Calrissian’s daughter,” Ben stated bluntly. He finally seemed to emerge from his haze of acceptance and his mouth had overtaken his brain, blurting the first thought that managed to permeate the fog that had settled there. 

Jannah nodded slowly, “I was taken from my family when I was very young to serve as a Stormtrooper, but after Exegol Lando approached me about my parentage and after doing some digging in the records we found out his suspicions were correct.” Ben nodded jerkily and looked like he wanted to say something further, but Jannah’s eyes crinkled in worry as she glanced back at her troops in the hangar. She abruptly continued, “C-3P0 will have to take you the rest of the way. I’ve got to get back to my troops.” And with that, Jannah retreated back to the hangar and Rey, Ben, and R2 continued on with C-3P0 leading the way.

“It is good you arrived when you did, Mistress Rey. I have never seen General Finn or General Dameron so perturbed before. They have been quite snippy with me and--” but Ben tuned him out, feeling Rey’s gaze leveled at him. He adjusted his long stride to match hers and C-3P0 continued on his monologue none the wiser that his captive audience was no longer listening. 

Rey didn’t say anything but he could feel her energy pressing through the bond and allowed the encouragement and comfort she projected to flow through him. He knew he was letting off waves of anxiety in his Force signature. Pensive and brooding as always. But he took heart in what she offered to him and attempted to breathe a bit deeper. He sank into a calmer headspace than he had allowed himself in years and he dared to hope this new feeling would last. 

“--and General Dameron wants to make a preemptive strike against Black Sun, but I’ve told him that Vice Admiral Tico will be most displeased--” Ben caught this last line from C-3P0 and came to a skittering halt in the hallway. The others hastily stopped as well, Rey panting a bit from the quick pace they had adopted. She stared at Ben with wide, questioning eyes, but he was focused on C-3P0. 

“The Suns are involved in this?” he muttered darkly. His brow furrowed and his mouth drew into a thin, solemn line. He ran his hand through his hair, a tick of his he couldn’t seem to quell when he was feeling anxious. He found his feet propelling him forward again though as the others struggled to match his long and furious strides. 

C-3P0 cut in front again, leading them down the various halls as they pressed closer to the main control room, asking bluntly, “Master Solo, you remember Black Sun from the days with your father?”

Ben didn’t break stride nor did he pull his gaze from straight ahead. “Yes. I remember.” 

And that was all he offered as the four finally slowed their pace, approaching a large chrome door that went straight up to the vaulted ceiling. Ben took another deep breath to calm himself, trying to put Black Sun from his mind so the anger and fear didn’t show in his face. He then felt Rey step up beside him, asserting herself in front of him and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as if to say, You are not alone. We are in this together. He couldn’t help a relieved sigh escape his lips as the gratitude he felt for this woman radiated off of him. He closed his eyes and nodded once, knowing that she would understand. 

Rey maintained her grasp on his large hand and strode toward the door which parted and allowed them entrance, the two droids trailing behind them. 

The room was large and wide, deeper than what Ben had been expecting with huge panels of windows that showed the faintest glimmer of the sunrise now cresting the horizon, an orangey-yellow orb defining the black horizon of the cityscape. The rest of the room was a stark contrast, blinding white walls and shining chrome surfaces. Ben stopped himself from shielding his eyes and controlled his expression so that he wasn’t squinting. 

“--if you think we can just--”

“--I didn’t say that! You’re being--” 

“--it doesn’t matter how you slice it we’re going to--” 

It was a cacophony of voices, a group of six converged into a semi-circle surrounding the gleaming chrome command bay and openly shouting at each other. The voices merged and tangled together and it was unclear who was saying what. Rey stopped in the entryway, standing in front of Ben, his hand still clutched tightly in hers, before she cut across all of them, “Hey!” she called loudly. 

All contentious arguments ceased leaving an echoing silence in its wake, and as a group they collectively turned to face the newcomers. 

Finn was the first to recover, mouth dropping open in disbelief before a grin split his face from ear to ear as he launched himself across the room at his best friend. 

“Rey!” he exclaimed as he pulled her into one of his bone crushing embraces. Rey had held onto his hand as long as she could, but as Finn swept her up in a hug, she let Ben’s hand fall as she moved to wrap both of her arms around her friend.

Ben stood awkwardly behind them, wondering how long it would take for someone to notice him, a dark cloud on their sunny little reunion. And it was just his luck that Dameron was the second to recover, eyes blazing into his with an air of disgust like he was a Kowakian monkey-lizard. Ben tilted his chin higher, nose in the air, taking determined breaths in. He would not let this ignorant flyboy get to him.

“Ren,” Dameron greeted from across the room, pulling everyone’s focus from Rey and Finn’s joyful reunion to the dark and despondent Ben, who clasped his hands behind his back to hide the fact that they were shaking. “Last I saw you, you were selling us out and fleeing Bespin. What could you possibly want to do with us here on Coruscant? Working as a mercenary now? For the Raiders no doubt.” Ben attempted Rey’s calming breaths again, trying to count in his head as he clutched his fists so tightly behind his back he was sure his knuckles had gone stark white. But before he could even calm himself to reply, Rey was by his side, once again taking his hand. She radiated that same calming energy as before through their bond and Ben was able to breath a bit easier. 

Rey rounded on Dameron, giving him a haughty scowl before replying briskly, “Actually, Ben is here at my request, as my... partner.” She glared around the room challengingly, daring someone to say something about this new piece of information, and Ben couldn’t help the lightness he felt at that moment. The ludicrous tug at his heartstrings as this woman blindly defended him to her friends. No one had ever stood up for him like this. Not his mother. Not his father. Definitely not Luke. And before he could help himself, his mouth split into a wide, besotted grin as he stared down at her. 

Before Dameron could open his mouth again, Rey squared off her shoulders, prepared to cut him off and go into full on defensive mode, when Rose spoke sharply across them both. “I’m sure there is a fascinating backstory to this development, and I, for one, am dying to hear how this happened, but I’m afraid we have the minor inconvenience of a crime syndicate UPRISING to deal with at the moment,” she huffed out contemptuously. 

Poe had the decency to look cowed, and Rey merely nodded bluntly at Rose in understanding, inviting her to carry on. 

Rose positioned herself at the focal point of the command center and everyone turned to face her as she took control over the unruly, misfit crew. “For you late-comers, let me sum up the situation we find ourselves faced with. 

“Zorii was able to gather intel from the underworld that the uprising we thought was an effort being forged by the old crime families was in fact a much larger operation. The crime families banded together and have merged forces with the Red Key Raiders, Kanjiklub, and Black Sun, three of the largest gangs that operate in the underbelly of the galaxy. Usually, these gangs operate separately and far away from the core worlds like Coruscant. However, with the resources the crime families offered and the vacuum in power that the defeat of the First Order left has drawn them here to try and squelch our new government before it starts,” Rose concluded gravely, looking around the room to each person to truly impress upon them the importance of these truths. When she got to Ben, her eyes narrowed slightly but she gave no further indication of disapproval before continuing on.

“Now, we need to decide how we want to handle this information. So far we have received no direct threat, however chatter is abuzz in Zorii’s connections that they wanted to make their first attack tonight,” she paused here to glance at Zorii for confirmation. Zorii merely gave one jerky nod with her helmeted head, her stance still rigidly straight, and Rose continued. 

“To further complicate matters, Calrissian and I have been manning the comms to keep this chatter from hitting the main communication circuits as we have our next Alliance committee meeting in two days time with several new representatives from all across the galaxy,” she hefted out a sigh and swiped at her bangs with the back of her hand leaving one lock stubbornly sticking up in defiance. 

“And I cannot stress this enough. If the committee crumbles now, all the work we have been doing, not just for the last few months, but from the time of the New Republic will all have been wasted. The time to form these bonds and this government is now. And approaching this situation blasters ablaze will not work,” her eyes rested on Poe for this last line and he scowled back at her in response, although he kept himself in check enough to not fly into a tirade. 

Instead he grimaced, pinching the bridge of his nose and rubbing at the furrow lines between his brows. He exhaled deeply, dropping his hand, and his face finally betrayed not anger or defensiveness as Ben had expected, but rather a deep rooted fear that seemed to haunt him in the depth of his eyes. Poe cleared his throat but it came out raspy anyway, “Rose, I get that. But you don’t know these people and what they are capable of. The Raiders, Kanji… Black Sun… they’re not like the Empire and they’re not like the First Order. These are unstructured, unhinged mercenaries who will do whatever it takes to grab power…” he trailed off, seemingly unsure of how to go on. 

Ben was still positioned behind Rey and had watched this scene unfold patiently, listening raptly, his eyes wide and taking it all in. For the life of him, he could not say what possessed him to do it, but he gave Rey’s hand a final squeeze before dropping it and stepping forward to stand beside her and stated flatly, “Dameron is right.” 

Everyone seemed to be collectively holding their breath, rigidly paralyzed in place like statues. However, at this declaration everyone fidgeted as one, unsure how to respond to Ben’s statement. Ben took this opportunity of momentary befuddlement to press on with his thoughts before anyone had time to recover and blast him back through the door. 

“Not about the preemptive strike obviously,” Ben stated bluntly, not totally able to resist taking a dig at Dameron. He was rewarded by an offended sputtering noise from the pilot before continuing on, “But about what these gangs are capable of. I know this may seem suspect coming from me, but these gangs show no loyalty, no mercy, and no conscience. They will kill civilians and troopers alike with no regard to how the dust will settle at the end of the day. They think only of the profits they can reap and the power they can attain,” as he spoke and no one fired a blaster at his head, Ben felt the tightness ease from his shoulders as he marginally relaxed his stance. 

But Finn, who was still standing relatively close to Ben and Rey was looking back and forth between the two of them perplexed and stunned, before he visibly shook himself, fixing his glare on Ben before huffing out, “And how do you know this? Are we just taking the word on how terrible these gangs are from the former Supreme Leader of the galaxy?” He was practically spitting the words out by the end, stepping closer into Ben’s space. 

Ben raised his eyebrows in surprise. FN-2187, Finn he corrected himself internally, had come a long way from the meek Stormtrooper who defected in disgrace, always wanting to run. He nodded to Finn as if to acknowledge that he raised some good questions. 

“I know this because my father, Han Solo, had run-ins with all three of these gangs many times over the course of my childhood, and he taught me about these groups when we went on ‘trade missions,’” he stated bluntly. There were several gasps around the room at this drop of information. Only a few knew who truly stood before them and his parentage. He grimaced at the acknowledgement but carried on. “And I understand your skepticism of me. I truly do,” his eyes fixed on the floor, determined to not meet anyone’s critical gaze, “I don’t expect you to trust me now, but I’m willing to tell you what I know. Take it or leave it.” 

This was met with a stilted silence, and Ben was preparing himself to leave while he was still intact lest they all turned on him when Rose spoke up again.

“You said you wouldn’t engage them with a preemptive strike?” Rose questioned shrewdly and Ben looked up and met her gaze, giving a brief jerky nod in response. “What would you do then? If you were attempting to keep the peace, which I’m sure is a foreign concept to you,” she breezily added under her breath, “How would you move forward with diplomacy efforts with an uprising on your doorstep?” She looked a bit smug as she concluded, sure she would thwart his interfering with her challenges. 

He was silent, eyebrows knitted together in concentration, eyes closed he shrugged his shoulders back before opening his eyes again to stare fixedly at Rose. “Well, this isn’t the first time these groups have banded together, is it?” he asked, not waiting for a reply as he continued on. “Black Sun and the Raiders partnered up during the New Republic to prolong the Galactic Civil War,” he could tell by the looks around the room this was news to many of them. “What they want is power and money, so why not try and do diplomacy with them instead of engaging in a shootout?” 

Rose looked very skeptical of this line of questioning and she turned to look at Lando, who was staring at Ben. Lando was shrewd. He knew how to maintain his sabacc-face, unlike Dameron or Finn who wore their hearts on their sleeves. However, Ben swore he saw Lando’s eyes crinkling in the corners, with what he thought might be a twinkle directed at him. 

“So you suggest meeting with the gangs in order to avoid a war breaking out on Coruscant?” Lando asked bluntly. 

Ben nodded. “Reach out to the gangs, invite the leaders here to meet and find out what their biggest grievances are with the formation of the Alliance. If you can hear them out and strike a bargain, you could avoid a lot of corruption down the line,” he began to pace with an energy he couldn’t contain, “Because they will try and pick apart your representatives, steal from and blackmail them, it’s what they did before. My mother had the damnedest time trying to sort out their interference.” It brought a brief stab of pain to mention his mother but he carried on, strengthened by her conviction and by his promise to do right by her now that he had a second chance. “If you can head them off by allowing them a platform now, you’ll save a lot of pain, misery, confusion, and deception in your fledgling government. I promise you that.”

Ben could feel Rey’s eyes burning into him and he chanced a look at her, finally finished with his postulations. She was smiling at him. Not her big, broad grin that he loved, but a quiet, soulful smile that crinkled her eyes and scrunched her nose and made him swell with emotion. He took her hand in his again, tracing the back of her hand with his thumb in a loop of swirling patterns. Finally he dared look up at the group again, fully expecting them to shout down his presumptuous suggestions. However, each member of this little leadership summit was looking thoughtful or inquisitive. 

Lando found his voice first. “I know you fought it for a long time, but you are your parents’ kid,” he said with a laugh, “I vote we try Solo’s plan. Worst thing that could happen is someone gets assassinated.” Everyone nervously laughed at Lando’s jokey comment although the underlying truth of his statement left an edge to the room. 

Finn looked to Poe first and the two shared a silent exchange no one else seemed to understand before Poe shrugged in resignation. Then Finn turned to Rose who rolled her eyes and gave a definitive nodd and Finn chimed in, “Honestly, I think it makes the most sense. It seems like you know these groups pretty well, Solo. Meet with Poe and Zorii so we have the best approach plan possible.” 

Poe moved to speak directly to Finn, whispering something to him as they seemed to have a tense, brief back and forth before Poe drew away, eyes blazing with something Ben couldn’t place. Poe and Zorii then drew away from the team, neither looking back to check if Ben was following. Ben pulled Rey through the side exit the other two had gone out, before bending down to press a gentle kiss on her lips. 

He intended it to be a quick, chaste peck, but Rey’s fingers dug into the nape of his neck, tugging him nearer to her, her body flush against his. She drank him in, gently biting down on his lower lip before relaxing her grip and moving away from him. He wanted to pull her back in and lose himself in her, take her apart with his hands and tongue and feel the Force sing in their embrace. But for perhaps the first time in his life he was being trusted by others to do something right, and he swore he could see his mother’s ghost smiling at him from the corner of his eye. But when he turned to look for her, Leia was nowhere to be seen. He turned back to cup Rey’s cheek in his hand as he ran his thumb along her cheek bone, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, and then he turned from her, moving quickly to follow Poe and Zorii. 

“Good luck!” Rey called at his retreating back. 

Ben turned a final time before disappearing around a corner with a wide, mischievous smile that was clearly inherited from his father, “It’ll be a miracle if Dameron and I don’t kill each other!” 

He heard her laughter ringing down the hall and although he wasn’t sure what lay in store for him ahead, he clung to the levity he felt right then, with Rey’s laughter fueling his steps forward.

***

Rey walked back to the main control room, a smile still playing at the corner of her mouth. Tensions had died down significantly as they all seemed focused on enacting this new plan. Finn and Rose were hunched together in a corner as Rey approached them. 

“-Calrissian and I can work on the next committee meeting in the meantime,” Rose finished, glancing up at Rey as she approached. “Rey,” she said softly, hugging the other woman before stepping back and gathering her comm device and planning tablet. “I wish I could stay and catch up. Clearly we have much to discuss,” she said with a suggestive eyebrow waggle. “But I’ve got to go prep for this Alliance committee meeting. I’m sure you understand,” and with a fake long suffering sigh and a cheeky grin, Rose pulled Lando away and the two headed off to plan their meeting. 

Rey looked back to Finn who was giving her the most skeptical look she had ever seen him wear. “What?” she asked incredulously. It was just the two of them now as everyone else had clearly scattered to go and roll out the new plan they had come up with. 

Finn just shook his head and sighed loudly, propping against one of the control tables and crossing his arms tightly across his chest. “I will never understand you,” he said with a disbelieving laugh, “You’re with him of all people! I thought you hated each other! Weren’t you just trying to kill each other a couple of months ago? Wasn’t he evil? What the hell happened?” It was a mark of true friendship that Finn had been able to contain himself for as long as he had and waited to approach the subject until they were alone. She was grateful for that. Still she sighed as she sat heavily in one of the rigid chrome seats at the control panels. She beckoned for him to sit as well, and he begrudgingly followed suit. 

“Finn, there’s a lot you don’t know, so you can’t understand,” she said, reaching out to grab his forearm. “Let me explain. From the beginning. It started when I went to find Luke on Ahch-To…” And Rey launched into her explanation of the Force Bond connection, the complicated relationship her and Ben shared then, the defeat of Snoke, her devastation, the lasting conflict she continued to sense in him, Leia’s death to bring her son to the light, and the rise of Ben Solo and his sacrifice on Exegol. 

Finn was an excellent listener, gasping at all the right parts of the story, and she saw his eyes rim with tears at the admission that she had died that day on Exegol. Finn gulped at the lump in his throat as he choked out, “I felt it,” he said softly and she looked at him in confusion, “On Exegol. When you...died. I felt your energy leave the universe. In the Force.” Rey looked at him in shock. She didn’t know Finn could feel things in the Force. “That’s what I was trying to tell you. When we were looking for the map to Exegol. Rey,” he said softly, unsure and vulnerable, “I think I might be Force-sensitive.” 

Rey smiled softly and offered a slow nod of her head. “Yes, I see it now. Actually, it makes a lot of sense,” she mused quietly. And Finn chuckled at her nonchalance to this admission that had weighed so heavily on him. He looked back at her now though, placing his hand on hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. 

“Well, I suppose I understand why you and Solo are together then,” he mumbled quietly. Rey felt a pang in her heart then. She was so grateful to have Finn as her friend. He was incredibly caring and loyal, she didn’t know what she had done to deserve a friend like him, so she simply squeezed his hand back as if to say thank you. 

And with that the two stood, understanding that the conversation had come to a close and they had to return to their present, full of potential uprisings, political intrigue, and several deadly gangs. 

“Want to come and help with defense planning?” Finn asked as the two walked together toward the main entrance. 

Rey looked to Finn, sad to part from him again, but she had more questions that needed answering, “Actually, I think I need to go and speak with Jannah.”

Finn simply nodded and the two hugged one last time before parting in the doorway to once again go their separate ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew. That chapter was a doozy to write. A lot of exposition. You’ll have to forgive me for that. But I had to break down some situations to make sense of the EU politics at play here. What’d y’all think of the incorporation of the gangs? More EU history will come into play there, but what do you think about it so far? Love it? Hate it?
> 
> How do you feel about Ben in this chapter? I really wanted him to be a solid mix of Han and Leia. Smuggler/seedy underground Han and Politician Leia. How’d it come off? Let me know what you think in the comments. Also, I welcome wild speculation if y’all wanna take a guess as to where all of this is leading :) :)
> 
> References for this chapter:
> 
> Kowakian monkey-lizard aka this is the species of Jabba’s ugly ass pet in Return of the Jedi (https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kowakian_monkey-lizard)


	10. Recon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me for my posting schedule, sneak peeks, and other fic updates on [my Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/marauder23). 
> 
> Also, check out this sweet [commissioned piece](https://marauder23.tumblr.com/post/641793350366904320/in-a-flash-he-saw-the-shawl-fall-from-her) from star_stuff based on an excerpt from Chapter 6 of this fic when Ben and Rey finally meet up on Tatooine. 
> 
> Next chapter coming mid/end March. Enjoy :)

Recap:

_“Well, I suppose I understand why you and Solo are together then,” he mumbled quietly. Rey felt a pang in her heart then. She was so grateful to have Finn as her friend. He was incredibly caring and loyal, she didn’t know what she had done to deserve a friend like him, so she simply squeezed his hand back as if to say thank you._

_And with that the two stood, understanding that the conversation had come to a close and they had to return to their present, full of potential uprisings, political intrigue, and several deadly gangs._

_“Want to come and help with defense planning?” Finn asked as the two walked together toward the main entrance._

_Rey looked to Finn, sad to part from him again, but she had more questions that needed answering, “Actually, I think I need to go and speak with Jannah.”_

_Finn simply nodded and the two hugged one last time before parting in the doorway to once again go their separate ways._

***

“Alright, so it’s decided then. Zorii, you and Solo will go and try and confer with the gang leaders and get them to come to meet with Rose and Calrissian. Meanwhile, I’ll confer with Finn to plan a backup attack plan and defense strategies in case this all goes sideways,” Poe stated roughly. Zorii, Poe, and Solo had been at this for hours now, determining the best way of making contact with the gang leaders and how to broker a meeting between the leaders in a diplomatic way. Poe was beginning to hate that word. Diplomacy. He growled in distaste, turning away from the other two.

Solo unfortunately had some helpful insights with the gangs like their history and past motivations and with Zorii’s network of informants and underground contacts, he knew they would get the job done, despite his reservations that this was a good idea at all. When he had been a Spice Runner he had seen some shady dealings with the gangs and couldn’t help recalling a particularly bad deal gone wrong that had resulted in the Raiders killing another Runner’s partner for trying to pocket credits on a deal. He sighed heavily, preparing to leave the room so the other two could get a move on before he came to his senses and stopped them from going at all. 

Poe felt a hand on his shoulder and felt a gentle squeeze. Zorii. He turned to face her, his face not hiding an ounce of his fear or trepidation for what was to come. She had slid her visor back and her eyes were visible to him. She looked calm and ready for whatever lay ahead. 

“It’ll be alright, Poe,” she said softly, and her eyes crinkled, the solemness fading from her expression, “Besides, I’ve got the former Supreme Leader with me. From what I hear, he knows how to handle himself in a fight.” And the two laughed briefly. Poe cuffed her on the shoulder before pulling her in for a tight hug, releasing her after a moment and looking at Solo who was averting his eyes from the pair and awkwardly lurking in the background. 

“Solo,” Poe called and he looked up from his feet, looking like an oversized Porg caught in a search light. Poe shook his head before he ground out, “Be careful, and for star’s sake, try and keep a low profile. My friend is depending on you.” And without waiting for a response, Poe walked from the conference room to make his way back to Finn and start hashing out more strategic plans with him.

***

Rey watched Jannah chatting with some of the former Stormtrooper recruits, going over some hand-to-hand combat training. Jannah stopped the two recruits who were sparring and gently corrected one man’s form to protect his blind spot. Rey was fixated on the smiles on the recruits’ faces and how they looked at Jannah with such trust and respect.

As if she felt Rey’s eyes on her, Jannah turned around and caught her gaze, smiling as she beckoned Rey over to the group. Rey still had a hard time with strangers, especially groups of them. Living alone and taking care of herself for so long had left its mark on her, but she put on a brave face and strode forward, her arms stiff at her sides and her fists clenched anxiously. 

“Come to have a look at our training regimen?” Jannah queried jokingly and the recruits laughed along with her. 

Rey wasn’t sure what was so funny about that, but responded in a rather bewildered tone, “Well yes.” Jannah gave Rey a curious look before dismissing the recruits to go spare again, giving instructions to one of the more seasoned recruits to offer supervision and critiques. 

“I thought you were coming down to give out some fresh orders from new plans you all generated up at command,” she said in an undertone as she pulled Rey further into a corner of the hanger so as not to be overheard. “What’s up? Any more news on the attack?”

Rey looked around surreptitiously, ensuring they were not being overheard before responding in a whisper, “No more news on when and where the attack is happening, and no actual confirmation that it will happen,” and Jannah’s eyes widened in surprise at that admission. “But Zorii, Ben, and Poe were going to gather more intel and see if they can’t get the gang leaders to meet with Rose, Finn, and Lando.” 

“What?” Jannah exclaimed, rather louder than she had meant to as several of the sparring groups nearest to them turned to see what had caused their commander’s outburst. One of the sparring recruits used his opponent’s distraction as an opportunity to strike a blow between his ribs and the new commotion sent everyone back to their exercises. 

Looking at Jannah in exasperation, Rey stated calmly, “Keep it down, will you?” to which Jannah nodded apologetically, and Rey continued in a low tone, “They’re going to try and approach them from a diplomatic angle to see if they can avoid outright civil war here and their government going down in flames before it’s even begun.” 

Jannah seemed to think silently for a moment, gathering her thoughts before stating, “Alright, I suppose they’ve got their reasons. Who knows, maybe it’ll work?” However, the tone in which she said this offered up no confidence in the plan and sounded unsure and hollow. Rey looked away from Jannah, feeling a discomfort settle between them, each of them trying to project more confidence than she felt. 

Rey found her gaze drawn back to the recruits and their training exercises and decided that a change of topic was in order to break up the melancholy spirit that had descended between them. “So…” she began stiffly, “How’s it going with the recruits? Is it odd to be with so many former Stormtroopers who hadn’t defected like you and Finn?” She watched as another recruit used a Rebel street-fighting style to take down her opponent and couldn’t help smiling to herself as the smaller woman claimed the victory over her larger male counterpart. 

Jannah watched Rey observing the scene and abruptly cut through the haze of nostalgia that had taken hold of her. “Finn and I, the whole battalion I was a part of that defected, we were the rare ones. Blessed or cursed with enough of _something_ that kept us from getting caught up in the rhetoric of the First Order,” Jannah huffed out, taking a deep breath to collect herself before continuing on in a calmer timbre, “We were children when we were taken. I don’t even remember how old I was. Age had no meaning to me then, that’s how young I was when the First Order came calling.” She looked back out to the recruits and there was fondness in her eyes as she stated, “When you are that young, that naive, that innocent; all you have ever really known is what comes to you from indoctrination, fear mongering, and an agenda to strip away any individualism you have that makes you _human_. That’s what all of these recruits faced, and I don’t blame them for a second for not defecting.” 

Rey’s eyes had gone wide at Jannah’s speech and she found her mouth dropping open in shock at what Jannah revealed and also in horror that she had unintentionally offended Jannah with her ignorance. “Jannah…” Rey stuttered out, shaking her head profusely and grabbing Jannah’s arm, “I am so sorry. I had no idea…” she trailed off, unsure what else to say and worried that she would inadvertently say something stupid again. 

Jannah turned back to her, smiling softly and nodding. “I know. I don’t expect you to know my experience, or their experience,” she said gesturing to the troops. “Just try not to make assumptions and ask questions if you don’t understand.” 

Rey nodded and they lapsed into another silent stretch before Jannah spoke again, “To answer your initial question though, it is going well with the recruits.” Jannah smiled widely at her people before continuing, “Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard work and some of them recover quicker than others. We have setbacks and difficult moments fueled by anger and hatred, not only for the people who did this to them, but also towards me.” Rey couldn’t keep the shocked look from her face at this disclosure and Jannah nodded, still with a faint smile on her face. “Oh yes, they still get angry at me from time to time. But that’s how it goes when you’re undoing years and years of proselytizing.” And when she tore her gaze from her recruits to finally look at Rey, tears glimmered in her eyes as she stated with blunt raw emotion, “I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life after this experience. This is the stuff that _matters_.”

And with that admission, she nodded solemnly before shifting her gaze to the recruits again and bustled off after one of them that had just gotten a gash on her forearm in a sparring session. Jannah waved to Rey in apology and went to her recruit as Rey stared blankly at the scene before her. 

She was so lost in thought as she watched Jannah steer the injured recruit aside, bandage her up, and offer her words of encouragement. A low hum in the Force, or maybe it was just the overwhelming feelings pulsating from her heart, called to her as she walked determinedly from the hanger, a resolute smile curving her lips.

***

“I think we should start with Iko Skeltif from Kanjiklub,” Ben rattled off as he and Zorii zoomed along in an XJ-6 airspeeder that had seen better days, utilizing the portals that let them jump to the lower levels of Coruscant. “Kanji doesn’t have nearly the history of the Raiders or Black Sun and doesn’t have as many ties to the other gangs. It should be easier to negotiate with them.”

Zorii said nothing but gave one quick nod. And they fell into a tense silence as they descended through the portals layer upon layer, the air growing denser with smog as they went lower. Ben never would have thought he would want his mask again after shucking it for the final time, but his eyes grew itchy and his lungs constricted painfully. The city also grew darker with each level they descended, overshadowed and encumbered by the large buildings that blocked out the sunlight from above. Even though it was early morning, the sun gradually disappeared as they sank lower and it felt as if they were gradually being drowned in darkness.

It had been some time since Ben had been on Coruscant, and he had never gone below Level 5100. He now realized just how sheltered he had been by not seeing the Coruscanti Underworld and the hardships the people here must face every day. 

As he spluttered and rasped again, coughing from the pollution that existed at this level, Zorii handed him a respirator mask, “Here you go, princess.” He gave her a sideways glare at the jibe but pulled the mask over his face, finally able to breathe easily again.

Finally, they reached Level 2685 where Zorii had heard Kanjiklub was doing dealings out of Kasakar, a well-known club where you could safely go to barter off the black market, hire bounty hunters, and rub elbows with some crime syndicate higher ups. They pulled the cruiser around the corner down a dank alleyway and walked up to the club. Ben left the respirator in the cruiser as no one else was wearing them at this level and he didn’t want to draw further attention to himself that he was an outsider. 

Zorii bribed the bouncer at the door and they entered the club to a heavy electronic beat thumping and pulsating so that it reverberated in Ben’s chest. The club was packed with all sorts of species dancing on the main floor, a lengthy line at the bar, and dancers on suspended platforms throughout the club. The raucous din of all these people made Ben shrink into himself, uncomfortable at the sheer volume coming from the club as well as the masses of bodies undulating and creeping into his space.

Zorii pushed through the throngs of patrons and Ben followed in her wake, as they made their way across the main floor and toward the back. There was a roped off area in the back which had a haze of prestige and glamor about it. There was a velvet corded rope separating the main floor from the shielded back rooms hidden from sight with a thick black curtain and two more bouncers on either side to prohibit entrance. Zorii beckoned for one of the bouncers to come closer and the two had what appeared to be a heated exchange as the bouncer vigorously shook his head, holding his hand up to reclaim his space from Zorii and returning to his position guarding the curtained off entrance.

Zorii clenched her fists at her sides, clearly fuming, as she came to stand next to Ben, practically shouting in his ear to be heard over the club’s thumping beat, “I tried dropping the name of one of my informants, and no dice. He’s too low ranking to get past this pea brained Bantha. Then I tried to bribe him, and wouldn’t you know they found a loyal leech who won’t be bought!” Although he couldn’t see her face, Ben could tell she was angry and frustrated as she fidgeted in place, clearly trying her hardest to not just blast her way through the door.

Ben placed his hand on her shoulder gently, but even that greatly startled her as she jerked away, and he held his hand up in surrender. “Let me try,” he suggested calmly, before approaching the guards slowly and attempting to look casual.

“I do apologize for my partner,” Ben began, gesturing back at Zorii who now had her arms firmly across her chest, staring down the group from behind her helmeted visage. “Could you let Iko know that Ben Solo would like to speak with him? We have a rather delicate business dealing to discuss. I’m sure you understand,” he stated with much more bravado than he felt. He’d heard Han say those exact words hundreds of times on their jaunts about the galaxy in various shady dealings, and he couldn’t _believe_ he was uttering them now. In order to help the Resistance no less. Who was he becoming?

The guard looked Ben up and down skeptically, turned to whisper to the other guard quickly, who took his leave behind the curtained doorway. The wait seemed to take an eternity but was in fact probably a few short minutes before the second guard reappeared and unhooked the velvet rope partition and gestured for Ben and Zorii to come forward, patting them down and relieving them of their weapons before they could proceed.

Zorii dropped her hands at her sides, exasperated, and although Ben couldn’t see her face, he knew her jaw must be hanging open in a dumbfounded expression. He gestured for her to go first and she pushed past him without hesitation, Ben following closely behind, as they disappeared beyond the curtain to meet Iko Skeltif of Kanjiklub.

Ben didn’t know what to expect from the back rooms of Kasakar, but the sound seemed muffled back here so that the thumping was a distant pulse instead of a throbbing vibration in his chest. And if he didn’t know any better, he would say the air was clearer back here. There were small groups of people scattered about the different tables enjoying high end libations and delicacies, what looked like several different sabacc games with high stakes, and private booths in the far back corner submerged in shadows that dancers seemed to be going in and out of.

Upon seeing them enter the room, a tan man with shorter dark hair and a wide set nose beckoned to Ben and Zorii and hastily extricated himself from a table along the wall with several large men and what appeared to be a helmeted bounty hunter. Ben and Zorii met him halfway across the floor, and as they drew nearer, Ben could see Iko’s mouth was pulled into a tight thin line. He couldn’t blame him. He was not expecting a warm greeting from Iko.

“Solo,” Iko drawled, giving him a once over before turning to Zorii. “And who is this?”

Zorii turned to Ben and he made the introduction. “Iko, this is Zorii Bliss. Zorii, meet Iko Skeltif, one of the commanders for the renowned Kanjiklub gang.”

Iko nodded shortly before giving the room a surveying sweep, “Come with me.” Iko turned on his heel, leading them to one of the private booths in the back. He swept the curtain aside, revealing a sallow-faced young man entranced by a beautiful Twi’lek dancer. Iko shouted at the man in Huttese, grabbing him gruffly by the collar and flinging him from the booth as the dancer seemed to evaporate from the scene without a sound. Iko motioned for the two to take seats across from him on the benches in the booth, and he whipped the curtain closed before starting in.

“What do you want, Solo?” Iko grunted out without any preamble. “Last I heard you abandoned the Jedi life with your uncle and took on a new name. How’d the First Order work out for you?” There was a sneer in his tone and Ben had to use Rey’s breathing technique again before he could respond, working to relax his tightened muscles.

“Iko, I know the last time we met it was not on the best of terms,” he began solicitously. “And for that, I apologize. You know my father and I never saw eye to eye on his business dealings and his reckless smuggling agreements. But I’m here, not to smooth over Han Solo’s promises, and I’m not here to recruit you and your gang for the First Order to use as mercenaries.” Iko didn’t betray much of his thoughts or feelings in his carefully crafted blank expression, but Ben felt the tension leave his energy signature slightly. He was interested.

Ben leaned forward and looked directly into Iko’s face, “I’m here to offer you and Kanji the opportunity to partner with a new governing entity. The Galactic Alliance. We have a committee of peoples from all across the galaxy that are working together to try and carve out peace and prosperity for all.”

Iko looked incredibly skeptical at this statement and looked from Ben to Zorii and back. “And you want our gang involved in this effort?” he asked disbelievingly. “You know we’re criminals. Thieves and men for hire. Why do you want Kanji involved? What would you gain?”

Ben sat back in his seat and looked thoughtful, “We want to hear from _everyone_ in the galaxy. Not just the wealthy or the elite. We’re recruiting from the mining colonies, from trade worlds, from Outer Rim planets that have never been included in a galactic conversation before.” He laced his fingers together in a peak over his knees and leaned his face into the steeple of his hands. “Gangs like Kanji exist because of entities who practice supreme rule and dictatorship like the First Order or the well-intentioned but elitist governance of the Old Republic. We need people like Kanjiklubbers at the table to have a voice in this new organization,” he finished softly before adding, “And having Kanjiklub as an ally would hopefully settle any bad blood between the gangs and the Alliance.”

Iko and Ben stared each other down and silence fell between them for several moments before Iko cracked a grin, shaking his head in incredulity before coming to clap a hand on Ben’s arm. “There’s that classic Solo skullduggery,” and he laughed as Zorii’s head swung back and forth between the two men, unsure how to react to this exchange.

Ben merely shrugged, the corners of his mouth twisting up in a sardonic smile, “You got me. You knew I’d have a bottom line, Iko, and there it is. We’d like to avoid a civil war on Coruscant and offer you a place on the committee for an equal voice in this new galaxy we’re building. What do you say?”

Iko’s mirth faded but his eyes remained alight with interest and intrigue, “You know I’ll have to discuss this with my men and pitch this to the Raiders.”

Ben nodded, “Of course.”

“And once Black Sun knows you’re involved… well, let’s just say they will be the most difficult ones to persuade towards your cause.”

Ben nodded again, his brow crinkling in frustration. Yes, Black Sun was the gang he was dreading talking to.

Iko studied Ben, then shifted his gaze to Zorii. “I’m not sure what the Alliance is thinking-- partnering with the former Supreme Leader of the galaxy,” he commented to Zorii.

She allowed a moment of silence before leaning forward and articulating her response, “You know, I’m not sure either, but I’m curious to see how it all pans out for us.” Iko laughed heartily and shook his head again, looking from Zorii to Ben and back again.

“Alright,” he said, shrugging his shoulders in defeat, still smiling. “Let me talk to the other Klubbers and the Raiders, I’ll comm you on a secure channel when I’ve got news. I’ll bring it up to the Suns, but you know as well as I do that you’ll have to do your own negotiations with them.”

Ben nodded and reached out to shake Iko’s hand, “Thanks Iko. Appreciate the help with getting the gang’s support.”

Iko nodded and turned to shake Zorii’s hand as well. Ben and Zorii rose to depart, but before they could get very far, Iko was calling after them, “Best of luck, Solo. You’re gonna need it!” And he cackled as the two retreated from the club.

***

Finn pulled up maps and gridded layouts for the city. He needed a bigger picture of how the city’s structure might play into a potential attack on the Alliance. He was in his quarters, hunched over his small desk poring over map after map of Coruscant, looking for any anomaly that might stand out as a weak point. He rubbed his eyes as they drooped shut yet again. He had been awake for the last 36 hours and was really starting to feel the strain from the lack of sleep. He glanced to his bed with the plush pillows and soft blanket but shook his head to escape the enticing notion of sleep. He needed to focus on these maps.

He locked his gaze on a map and his eyes began to droop again as there was a harsh knock on his door that made him jolt upright and reach for the blaster at his hip. Poe pushed his way into the room, looking from Finn to his blaster before holding his hands up in surrender.

“I come in peace,” he deadpanned, and Finn huffed out a sigh of relief as he lowered his blaster back to his hip holster.

“Sorry, Poe, I’m a bit on edge at the moment,” he grunted, rubbing a hand over his tired face. Poe nodded, and Finn saw his brow furrow in concern with an aura of pity behind his eyes. “I’m fine, Poe,” he stated softly but decisively.

Poe moved forward, further into the room, coming to stand behind Finn, looking over his shoulder at the maps. They studied the maps together in silence for a moment before Finn felt Poe’s eyes on him again. He looked up and their eyes locked.

“You’re not fine,” Poe stated bluntly. And Finn straightened up to argue with him, but Poe cut him off, gripping him firmly by both shoulders and staring him down, taking in his haggard appearance. “When was the last time you slept?” he asked, his voice betraying his unease. “How about the last time you showered?”

Finn tried to gather his thoughts and put Poe at ease, but he took too long because before he knew it, Poe was pulling him from his desk and pushing him toward the fresher. “Go get yourself cleaned up and then we can chat about what you’re working on,” Poe commanded, leaving no room for argument.

Finn stumbled into the fresher and let the pulsing stream from the shower flow over his back, slowly lathering soap into his skin. It had been too long, and he knew he stunk. After standing under the water for perhaps too long and letting the heat melt him into a submissive dream state, he reluctantly turned off the water and fumbled for a towel. He hurriedly dried off, and wrapped the towel around his waist as he exited the fresher.

Poe was sitting at his desk, perusing the maps Finn had strewn across his desk. Finn watched as Poe studied the map, getting the little crinkle in his brow when he was concentrating hard. Finn found himself thinking about how he would like to smooth out that crinkle with a soft stroke of his thumb. He shook himself. _Where had that thought come from?_

And then he was stumbling into his closet for clothes, stubbing his toe in the process. “Kriffing closet!” he shrieked in pain, and Poe turned quickly, dissolving into laughter at Finn’s clumsiness. His laughter ended abruptly though, and he seemed to be looking anywhere but at Finn, a sudden flush blooming over his cheeks.

Finn shook his head and laughed at Poe’s sudden discomfort. He didn’t think he’d ever seen the General look so flustered before. “You alright, Poe?” he asked, hastily getting dressed behind a partition. When he came out fully dressed Poe seemed to shake himself and attempted to regulate his breathing.

“Yeah. Fine, fine,” he stated breathily. He then changed topics and seemed to regain his composure more, “So what were you working on, then? What’s with all the maps?” Finn filled Poe in on his idea to look at securing the city and understanding how Headquarters fit into the layout should an attack happen.

Poe nodded along as he explained his thought process and his findings so far, “Good work, Finn,” he stated appreciatively. “I think the only other observation I had from these maps is that bottleneck around Monument Plaza. It might be difficult to navigate around that area with such a convergence of fighters at a central location.” Finn nodded along, making notes along the side that he could disseminate to the troops should the need arise.

“Thanks Poe. You’re always the best at spotting these problem areas for attacks,” Finn said briskly as he rushed about the room, collecting his notes, and attempting to shove his feet into his shoes while walking to the door.

“Hang on there,” Poe said, looking startled as he grabbed a hold of Finn’s shoulder and made him pivot to face him. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Finn’s eyes widened in stress and disbelief, “I need to go deliver these notes to Jannah, take copies to Rose and Lando, and go debrief Chewie on how to proceed should we fall under attack.”

Poe shook his head, pushing Finn back onto the bed. “No, you need to get some _sleep_. You’re like zombie. Come on.” And he took the rolls of maps and notes from Finn’s hands and put them back on the desk. “I can do all of that for you.”

Finn stood up to try and move toward the maps again, only to find Poe’s hand firmly on his shoulder, blocking the path to his desk. “Poe, I have responsibilities and—” but he was interrupted by Poe pressing his lips to his. Poe’s hand moved from his shoulder to cup his cheek, gently stroking the stubble along his cheekbone as his other arm went around Finn’s waist, pulling him close.

Finn didn’t initially react from the sheer shock of the moment. But before he could get in his head and think about what all of this meant, he found his body responding, gripping the hair at the nape of Poe’s neck and gruffly nipping at his lower lip, panting heavily.

If Poe was surprised by his response, he didn’t show it and deepened their kiss, running his tongue along Finn’s lower lip until his lips parted, allowing Poe entrance. There was a heat and fervor to their kisses that made both of them break apart after several minutes gasping for breath as Finn clung to Poe for support, grabbing handfuls of the pilot’s shirt. Poe rested his forehead against Finn’s, catching his breath and smiling that crooked roguish smile of his that made Finn’s heart twist painfully.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time,” Poe ground out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was exceptionally hard for me to write, so would love any constructive criticism you all would care to impart! This fic is getting more intense and I want to give it the realism and research it deserves. I really want to honor where the characters come from which will inform where they are going in this fic and that takes work. They have to continue to develop as people before they can get to those great character defining moments. I also want to weave in as much canon as I can, and the Star Wars canon is VAST. I’m still only scratching the surface but I spend a LOT of time on researching to give this fic a real lived in feel with the SW universe. 
> 
> Comments fuel my writing :) 
> 
> References: 
> 
> [XJ-6 airspeeder](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Coruscant_speeder%E2%80%9D>XJ-6%20airspeeder</a>%20\(this%20is%20a%20throwback%20to%20the%20speeder%20Anakin%20uses%20in%20Attack%20of%20the%20Clones\)%0A%20%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Level 2685](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Level_2685)
> 
> [Club Kasakar](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Club_Kasakar%E2%80%9D>Club%20Kasakar</a>%0A%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Respirator](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Breath_mask)
> 
> [Bantha](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Bantha%E2%80%9D>Bantha</a>%0A%20%0A<a%20href=)
> 
> [Twi'lek](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Twi%27lek)
> 
> [Huttese](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Huttese)


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